Delhi court sends CM Arvind Kejriwal a new summons, requested to show up in person on March 16

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 7th March. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was summoned by the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday, March 7, to appear in person on March 16. He was the subject of a second complaint from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for failing to appear at the court scheduled to answer to a summons in the Delhi excise policy case.

This latest event follows earlier legal action against Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate due to his noncompliance with prior summonses. March 16 is also the date of the hearing for the prior complaint, which concerned the first three summonses that the ED sent out.

Kejriwal prepared for online gathering

The Enforcement Directorate had received a response from the Chief Minister of Delhi earlier.  Kejriwal asserted in a statement that while he is prepared to respond, a summons is unlawful. But Kejriwal was not allowed to appear before the federal agency via video conference.

“Arvind Kejriwal has requested from ED a date that is after March 12. He will then participate in the hearing through video conference, according to a statement released by AAP. But Kejriwal is allegedly not allowed to appear before the probe agency via video conference. An ED source said, “There is no provision for video conference interrogation.”

Kejriwal ignored several summonses

Under the excuse that they are “illegal and politically motivated,” Kejriwal has so far ignored eight summonses that the Enforcement Directorate has sent out on a variety of dates, including February 26, February 19, February 2, January 18, January 3, November 2, December 22, and March 4. Kejriwal’s remarks about the case’s pre-finalization meetings, policy creation, and bribery accusations are being recorded by the ED.

Despite the ED’s seventh summons, the AAP called it “illegal” in a statement and urged the agency to cease issuance in order to await the court’s ruling. The AAP further noted that the investigation team has already contacted the court on the subject.

Delhi excise policy scam

The Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021–22, which granted licenses to liquor dealers, is accused of enabling cartelization and favoring certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it—a charge that the AAP has consistently denied. After the policy was abandoned, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena suggested that the Central Bureau of Investigation look into the matter. The ED then filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).