DELHI Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in a case linked to the now scrapped Delhi Excise Policy and wrote to the Central agency demanding the “recall” of its summons to him, calling it “vague, motivated and unsustainable in law”. The reply of the CM, according to the official sources, is being examined by the ED. Sources also indicated that a fresh date for Kejriwal could be issued for a closer date as the Supreme Court has recently taken note of the prosecution’s assurance that the trial in the case will be concluded within the next 6-8 months. The central agency had summoned Kejriwal for questioning in the alleged Delhi excise policy case and to record his statement under the PMLA. Kejriwal’s party colleagues Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in the case. Defying the summons, the Delhi Chief Minister took part in a rally for the party’s Assembly elections candidate in Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli city.

 

He was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He and Mann took part in a roadshow for the party candidate and AAP’s state president Rani Agrawal. The Delhi Chief Minister’s Office said that in reply to the probe agency’s notice, Kejriwal has alleged that the summons were “illegal, politically motivated” and aimed at preventing him from campaigning in the poll-bound states. Calling the summons “vague, motivated and unsustainable in law”, Kejriwal also claimed that the notice by the ED was sent to him for extraneous considerations at the behest of the BJP. “The said summons is not clear as to the capacity in which I am being summoned i.e. As a witness or a suspect,” the Chief Minister said and added that the notice failed to provide details or reasons for him being called for questioning and termed it a “fishing and roving” exercise by the ED. “The said summons does not specify whether I am being summoned as an individual or in my official capacity as chief minister of Delhi or as national convenor of AAP,” Kejriwal said. The Chief Minister also claimed that the notice appeared to be motivated. Jarange ends fast the indefinite hunger strike. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde thanked Jarange for calling off the fast.

 

“I have ended my fast, but the Maratha quota agitation continues. Relay fasts will also continue,” Jarange said, and asked the Government to decide by December 24. The Ministers present told him to extend the deadline to January 2, but he did not budge. A delegation of retired High Court judges Sandeep Shinde, M G Gaikwad and some officials also met Jarange. He demanded “fool proof reservation” and asked the State Government to give him its assurance. The ministerial delegation included ministers from all three ruling parties, Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP. It comprised Uday Samant, Sandipan Bhumre, Dhananjay Munde and Atul Save. Jarange said he will not “touch the door of his residence” till all Marathas get reservation benefits. He also demanded that a date be fixed to revoke offences registered against Maratha quota agitators. “Why Kunbi caste certificates can’t be given to Marathas even after over 13,000 records were found?” he asked. Munde said the additional issues raised by Jarange will be taken up through an all-party proposal on December 8 during the Winter Session of State Legislature in Nagpur.

 

“They (Government) need 45 to 60 days for various committees to do their work for giving sustainable reservation to the Maratha community. We will meet our people from village to village in the meanwhile. If our demands are accepted, we will sit on the boundary of Mumbai,” he said. Jarange had said on Wednesday evening that he would not be drinking water, after an all-party meeting passed a resolution earlier in the day supporting the demand of quota and appealing him to call off his fast. Jarange on Thursday demanded that the Government provide enough funds and deploy multiple teams for the survey of the economic and social backwardness of the Maratha community. A Government order granting Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas should be passed and the word ‘throughout’ (Maharashtra) should be included, he said. The Government has already started the process of giving Kunbi certificates to Marathas from the Marathwada region who can produce old records referring to them or their ancestors as Kunbi. The Maratha quota agitation recently saw violence erupt across the State, with several MLAs’ houses being set on fire.