The Delhi High Court has issued a fresh notice to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal concerning a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging his acquittal in two separate cases. The issues arise from Kejriwal’s failure to appear before the ED despite summons in the excise policy case.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noted on Wednesday that the previous notice issued to the former chief minister had not been served. This prompted the court to take further action.
According to the ED’s counsel, the initial notice was dispatched to Kejriwal on April 1, but there has been no appearance on his behalf. “The Registry reports that the notice has not been served. I will issue a fresh notice. The respondent has not been served,” the judge stated, setting the next hearing date for July 22.
The cases stem from the ED’s complaint alleging that the then chief minister intentionally disobeyed the summonses. The agency accused Kejriwal of raising frivolous objections and deliberately creating grounds to evade the investigation.
During the proceedings, the ED’s counsel asserted that the trial court “committed a grave error” by acquitting Kejriwal despite no dispute that summons had been duly issued and received. The ED claimed that Kejriwal’s absence indicated a lack of cooperation in the investigation.
On January 22, the trial court ruled in favor of Kejriwal, stating that the ED failed to substantiate its claims that he intentionally disobeyed the summonses. The court noted, “Neither the service of summons through emails has been proved by the ED nor has it demonstrated the legality of issuing summons via email under Section 50(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).”
The ED has alleged that Kejriwal engaged in discussions with other accused parties to formulate the now-abandoned excise policy, which they claim resulted in illicit benefits and kickbacks to the Aam Aadmi Party.
Currently, Kejriwal is on interim bail in the money laundering case. The Supreme Court has referred critical questions regarding the necessity of arrest under the PMLA to a larger bench for detailed examination.
Previously, on February 27, the trial court discharged Kejriwal, along with former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the liquor policy case, stating that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case lacked the scrutiny required to stand up in court.
The CBI’s plea against the discharge is still pending before the High Court, highlighting the ongoing legal challenges faced by Kejriwal.
This situation keeps the spotlight on the political landscape in Delhi, where the intersection of governance and legal scrutiny raises questions about accountability and transparency. As the legal proceedings unfold, the implications for both Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party remain significant.
