AAP won't be deterred by ED notices: Raghav Chadha

New Delhi, Sep 22 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party will not be able to deter Kejriwal's cadre into submission via summons and notices, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Raghav Chadha said on Wednesday as he accompanied party's national secretary Pankaj Gupta, who appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office regarding a money laundering case on Wednesday morning.

"Have a look at the timings of these notices. It came at a time when AAP is gearing for upcoming assembly election in the states of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Gujarat and Goa," said Chadha while briefing media outside the ED office.

Calling the notice a "love letter", the MLA further said that it is only because of AAP's politics of sincere work that BJP is scared to such an extent.

"When AAP challenged BJP in its own 'gadh' (territory) Surat in Gujarat, it had to change its chief minister. Before that they had to change their chief ministers twice in Uttarakhand. We are confident of AAP coming to power in Punjab and Goa as well and it has only been possible because of our hard work," he added, urging the saffron party to follow their lead.

Since the time AAP has formed a government in Delhi, we have received a summon or notice every assessment year. How many of BJP party leaders ever been treated the same way, he asked.

On September 13, the Enforcement Directorate issued summons to Aam Aadmi Party national secretary Pankaj Gupta in a money laundering case related to the Punjab former AAP leader.

"Gupta has been asked to join the probe next week," said a senior officer with Enforcement Directorate adding that he has been summoned in a money laundering case in which Punjab former AAP MLA and Punjab Ekta Party chief Sukhpal Singh Khaira is being probed while also being investigated in a money laundering case.

India's premier financial investigative agency -- Enforcement Directorate -- has also taken cognisance of two separate cases relating to drug trafficking and fake passport registered against Khaira.

The ED has alleged that Khaira is an "associate" of drug case convicts and fake passport racketeers.

The case against him pertains to the probe in a 2015 Fazilka (Punjab) drugs-smuggling case in which 1,800 gm of heroin, 24 gold biscuits, two weapons, 26 live cartridges and two Pakistani SIM cards were seized by security agencies from a gang of international drug smugglers.

The 56-year-old politician has denied any wrongdoing and had said he is being targeted by Central agencies as he has been vocal against the Centre's farm laws.