The Delhi High Court issued a fresh notice to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday, responding to pleas from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging his recent acquittal in two separate cases. These cases involve allegations of Kejriwal’s non-appearance before the agency despite repeated summons related to the contentious excise policy.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma presided over the session, highlighting that, according to court records, an earlier notice served to Kejriwal had not been properly executed. The ED’s counsel revealed that the initial notice had been sent on April 1, yet no representation had been made on behalf of the former chief minister.
“Registry reports that he was not served. I will issue a fresh notice. The respondent has not been served,” the judge remarked, scheduling the next hearing for July 22.
The legal troubles for Kejriwal stem from allegations in an ED complaint suggesting that he willfully disobeyed the authorities’ summons by failing to engage in the investigation. The ED claims Kejriwal made frivolous objections and concocted reasons to avoid interrogation.
Previously, the ED criticized the trial court’s acquittal ruling, stating that it committed a serious error by releasing Kejriwal without adequately accounting for the fact that summons were duly issued. They maintained that he did not present himself for questioning.
In a ruling delivered on January 22, the trial court found that the ED failed to establish that Kejriwal deliberately ignored the court summons. The court commented, “Neither has the service of summons through emails been validated by the ED, nor has the legal procedure of issuing summons under Section 50(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) via email been proven.”
Further, the ED’s allegations suggest that other accused in the case were in continuous communication with Kejriwal to develop the now-repealed excise policy, which they argue resulted in significant benefits for them and illegal kickbacks to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
As of now, Kejriwal remains on interim bail in the money laundering case. The Supreme Court recently referred questions regarding the necessity of his arrest under the PMLA to a larger bench for comprehensive analysis.
On February 27, the trial court also discharged Kejriwal along with Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the liquor policy case, stating that the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) assertions lacked substantial merit and failed to withstand judicial scrutiny.
A plea by the CBI contesting this discharge is currently under review in the Delhi High Court. As the proceedings unfold, all eyes remain on how this legal saga will evolve for Kejriwal and the AAP amidst ongoing political tensions.
