The Delhi High Court has issued a fresh notice to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal. The notice pertains to petitions filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging his acquittal in two separate cases concerning his non-appearance before the agency despite being summoned in connection with the excise policy case.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma observed that the court registry had reported that the earlier notice issued to the former Chief Minister had not been successfully served.
Counsel for the investigating agency informed the court that a notice had been issued to Mr. Kejriwal on April 1, but no appearance has been made on his behalf in response. The judge stated that as the registry indicated the respondent had not been served, a fresh notice would be issued. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on July 22.
These cases originate from a complaint filed by the ED with the trial court, alleging that the then Chief Minister had intentionally defied the summonses issued to him by failing to join the investigation. The agency also contended that Mr. Kejriwal raised spurious objections and deliberately created pretexts to avoid attending the probe.
Previously, the ED’s counsel argued before the high court that the trial court had made a “grave error” by acquitting Mr. Kejriwal. The prosecution maintained that there was no dispute that summonses were duly issued and received by the AAP leader, yet he failed to appear before the agency.
In its orders on January 22, the trial court had ruled that the ED had not adequately proven that Mr. Kejriwal had intentionally disobeyed the summonses issued to him. The trial court’s reasoning highlighted that the ED had failed to prove either the service of summonses via email or that the process of issuing summonses under Section 50(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) via email was in accordance with the law.
The ED has alleged that other accused individuals in the case were in communication with Mr. Kejriwal during the formulation of the now-scrapped excise policy. The agency claims this policy resulted in undue advantages for certain parties and facilitated kickbacks to the Aam Aadmi Party.
Arvind Kejriwal is currently on interim bail in the money laundering case. The Supreme Court has referred questions concerning the “need and necessity of arrest” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to a larger bench for a more comprehensive examination.
Earlier, on February 27, the trial court had discharged Mr. Kejriwal, along with Manish Sisodia and 21 other individuals, in the liquor policy case. The court had concluded that the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) case could not withstand judicial scrutiny and was entirely discredited.
The CBI’s plea challenging this discharge order is still pending before the high court.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
