The Delhi High Court in the case observed and has issued summons to the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on ED’s petition moved for not complying with the summons issued to him in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.
The bench headed by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra of Rouse Avenue Courts in the case observed and has directed Kejriwal to appear before the court on February 17.
In the present case, the court took cognizance of the complaint case moved by the Enforcement Directorate, ED against the Kejriwal for not complying with the summons.
The court in the case stated that the Arvind Kejriwal was legally bound to attend in person in pursuance of Enforcement Directorate, ED summons but purportedly he failed to do so.
The court also stated that the prima facie offence under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 is made out and there are sufficient grounds for proceeding as stated under Section 204 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 against accused Mr. Arvind Kejriwal.
Adding to it, the court stated that the summonses were addressed to Kejriwal at his official e-mail address which is prima facie evidenced from the fact that he sent replies to them wherein reasons for his non-appearance were set out.
The court in its order stated to issue summons to accused Mr. Arvind Kejriwal for the offence under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 for February 17, 2024.
Further, the fresh complaint has been filed by the Enforcement Directorate, ED against the CM Kejriwal for non-compliance of the summons received by him in the money laundering case.
Therefore, the Enforcement Directorate, ED has issued five summons to Kejriwal in the case over the last four months.
However, the CM has skipped the summons claiming that they are illegal.
The fresh complaint has been filed by the Enforcement Directorate, ED summons issued for November 02 and December 21 last year and January 03 and January 18. Thus, he has called the summons notices ‘illegal’.
The Aam Aadmi Party leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh have been arrested in the money laundering case and are presently in judicial custody.
It has also been alleged by the Enforcement Directorate, ED that the excise policy was implemented as part of a conspiracy to give wholesale business profit of 12 percent to certain private companies, although such a stipulation was not mentioned in the minutes of meetings of Group of Ministers, GoM.
Further, it has also been claimed by the Central agency that there was a conspiracy that was coordinated by Vijay Nair and the other individuals along with South Group to give extraordinary profit margins to wholesalers.
As per the agency, Nair was acting on behalf of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia.
Accordingly, the court listed the matter for further consideration on February 17, 2024