Excise policy scam case: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has moved a sessions court challenging the summons issued to him by a lower court on two complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate for non-compliance with the summons issued in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.
Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Syal is likely to hear Kejriwal's applications later in the day.
Kejriwal filed a petition in the sessions court against the rulings issued by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra. The court has directed Kejriwal to appear before it on March 16.
ED filed two complaints against Kejriwal
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed two complaints before the magisterial court seeking prosecution of Kejriwal for skipping multiple summons issued to him in the case.
According to the news agency PTI, the latest complaint pertains to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor not honouring summons number four to eight sent by the federal probe agency under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED had earlier moved the magisterial court seeking Kejriwal's prosecution for not attending the first three summons issued to him in the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. The hearing for the previous complaint, related to the initial three summonses issued by the ED, is also slated for March 16.
Kejriwal skipped multiple summons
Kejriwal has so far skipped eight summonses issued by the Enforcement Directorate on various dates, including February 26, February 19, February 2, January 18, January 3, November 2, December 22 and March 4, labelling them as "illegal and politically motivated." The ED seeks to record Kejriwal's statement regarding policy formulation, pre-finalization meetings, and allegations of bribery in the case.
Despite the seventh summons issued by the ED, AAP, in a statement, denounced it as "illegal," urging the ED to stop sending summonses and await the court's decision. The AAP also highlighted that the probe agency has already approached the court concerning the matter.
Delhi excise policy scam
It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP. The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Also Read: Delhi court issues fresh summons to CM Arvind Kejriwal, asks to appear physically on March 16
Also Read: ED lodges fresh complaint against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for non-compliance of summons
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