The Delhi High Court has called for the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) reply regarding a plea filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, challenging multiple summons issued to him by the agency in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.
Kejriwal’s move comes after the ED issued its ninth summons to him, directing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader to appear for questioning on March 21. In response, the ED has stated that it will reply to and oppose Kejriwal’s plea on grounds of maintainability.
During the court proceedings, senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Vikram Chaudhari, representing Kejriwal, raised objections to the ED’s stance opposing the plea based on maintainability. The court has scheduled the next hearing for April 22.
This development follows Kejriwal’s recent bail grant by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court in a case filed by the ED for non-compliance with previous summons. Kejriwal appeared physically before the court during the bail hearing. The ED aims to record Kejriwal’s statement regarding the formulation of the excise policy, pre-policy meetings, and allegations of bribery.
In its sixth charge sheet filed on December 2, 2023, the ED alleged that the AAP utilized kickbacks amounting to ₹45 crore from the excise policy for its assembly elections campaign in Goa in 2022. The charge sheet named AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his associate Sarvesh Mishra. Singh and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia were arrested by the ED and are currently in judicial custody.
Kejriwal’s name has repeatedly surfaced in the charge sheets filed by the ED, with the agency claiming that the accused were in contact with Kejriwal to shape the excise policy, resulting in undue benefits for them in exchange for kickbacks paid to the Aam Aadmi Party.
Sources By Agencies