Delhi excise case: Kejriwal moves Sessions Court challenging summons issued to him on ED complaints

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has moved the Sessions Court challenging summons issued to him by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on ED complaints for not complying with the summons issued by the central probe agency in the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case reported news agency ANIThe Special Judge Rakesh Syal is scheduled to hear the matter this afternoonLast week the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate took cognizance of the Enforcement Directorates second complaint and issued a fresh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his personal appearance before the court on March 16 2024ED recently moved the court with a second complaint for allegedly not complying with the summons in the alleged Delhi excise caseThe Enforcement Directorate has moved that a second complaint has been filed against Arvind Kejriwal under Section 190 1a CrPC rw section 200 CrPC 1973 rw section 174 IPC 1860 rw section 63 4 of PMLA 2002 for nonattendance in compliance with Section 50 PMLA 2002 reported ANIEarlier too the ED filed a complaint against Arvind Kejriwal in which the court issued a summons to him in the matterFollowing the summons order Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared virtually before the court on the EDs complaint against him for allegedly noncompliance with the summons order reported ANIArvind Kejriwal while appearing virtually informed the court that he wanted to join the court proceedings physically but due to the confidence motion and budget sessions he couldnt come physically before the courtSenior Advocate Ramesh Gupta appeared for Arvind Kejriwal moved an exemption plea for Kejriwal and assured the court that on the next date he would appear physically reported ANIAs noted in the submissions Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra allowed the exemption plea moved for today and fixed March 16 2024 for his physical appearance before the court reported ANIOn the first EDs complaint Rouse Avenue Court on February 7 2024 took cognizance of the Enforcement Directorates recent complaint filed against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for not complying with the summons issued by the central probe agency in the Delhi excise caseRecently Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal agreed to appear virtually before the ED on any date after March 12 On this decision Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj stated that ED summons is illegal but Arvind Kejriwal found a middle ground and decided to appear for questioning virtually so that CM Arvind Kejriwal could not be arrested illegally reported ANIWhile ED summons is absolutely illegal the CM felt that BJP leaders and spokespersons are time and again accusing him of not answering the ED questions We were always of the opinion that it was not about answering the questions it was about the EDs intent to illegally arrest Arvind Kejriwal So Arvind Kejriwal found a middle ground and decided to appear for questioning via video conferencing But if there is some conspiracy and they want to arrest the CM at any cost then the ED will force him to come said Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj reported ANIMeanwhile Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal has written a reply to the Directorate of Enforcement stating the EDs summons is illegal However he has agreed to appear before the agency virtually on any date after March 12 reported ANIAccording to the ED the agency wants to record Kejriwals statement in the case on issues like the formulation of policy meetings held before it was finalised and allegations of briberyIn its sixth charge sheet filed in the case on December 2 2023 naming AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his aide Sarvesh Mishra the ED has claimed that the AAP used kickbacks worth Rs 45 crore generated via the policy as part of its assembly elections campaign in Goa in 2022The excise policy was aimed at revitalizing the citys flagging liquor business and replacing a salesvolumebased regime with a licence fee for traders It promised swankier stores and a better buying experience The policy introduced discounts and offers on the purchase of liquor for the first time in DelhiLieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxenas move to order a probe into alleged irregularities in the regime prompted the scrapping of the policy The AAP has accused Saxenas predecessor Anil Baijal of sabotaging the move with a few lastminute changes that resulted in lowerthanexpected revenues reported ANITwo senior AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are already under judicial custody in the Delhi excise caseSisodia who was the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister was arrested by the CBI on February 26 following several rounds of questioning On October 5 the ED arrested Singh who is a Rajya Sabha memberWith inputs from ANI