The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed replies to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s two revisions challenging the issuance of summons on Saturday. Meanwhile, advocate Mudit Jain and advocate Rehan Khan Counsel for Kejriwal have sought time to respond to the replies filed by the anti-money laundering agency.
The ED arrested the Delhi Chief Minister in a now-scrapped excise policy case in the national capital on 21 March.
The ED alleged that Kejriwal was one of the key conspirators in the liquor scam. According to the federal agency, the Delhi CM received several crores of rupees as a kickback from ‘South Group’ for formulating the Delhi excise policy and using that capital in the Goa and Punjab elections.
ED sent summon notices to Kejriwal nine times but the Delhi CM skipped all of the summonses, alleging that the probe agency’s aim was to arrest him and stop his AAP party from campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
On 15 March, Kejriwal appealed in the Rouse Avenue Court to put a stay on the ED summons but the court declined his request.
Kejriwal’s advocate said that there was no disobedience by the AAP leader. A person can be summoned only when his nonappearance is intentional. He replied to each summons and informed that he could not come due to responsibility as the Chief Minister, advocate Ramesh Gupta argued.
On the other hand, ASG S V Raju argued that it is also immaterial whether you (Kejriwal ) were summoned as a witness or accused. There was clear disobedience on the part of the revisionist.
According to the ED, the agency wants to record Kejriwal’s statement in the case on issues like the formulation of policy, meetings held before it was finalized, and allegations of bribery.
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(Source: Live Mint)
