Today, 22nd April, Delhi High Court scheduled May 15 for hearing Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging ED summons, marking a significant legal development. Kejriwal’s petition contests the Enforcement Directorate’s actions, adding to the ongoing legal battle. The decision signals a crucial date in the case, drawing attention to the high-profile dispute.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court scheduled a hearing for May 15 on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s petition challenging the summonses issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding its investigation into a money laundering case related to an excise policy. Justice Suresh Kumar Kait‘s bench granted Kejriwal time to file a rejoinder to the ED’s reply.
The ED’s counsel contended that the petition moot since Kejriwal has already been arrested in the money laundering case.
He mentioned,
“The affidavit deals with initial concerns on why the issue is now irrelevant.”
The agency’s lawyer informed the court that Kejriwal challenged his arrest in a separate petition, which was rejected by the high court, and his appeal is now awaiting consideration in the Supreme Court.
The bench, which also included Justice Manoj Jain, then inquired,
“What remains to be addressed in this case?”
Senior counsel representing Kejriwal stated that he would submit a rejoinder to the ED’s position, stressing that the “initial action” taken by the anti-money laundering agency not in accordance with the law (PMLA).
The court stated,
“The senior counsel representing the petitioner requests two weeks to file a rejoinder. Let the necessary steps be taken within this timeframe.”
The AAP national convenor taken his case to the high court following the ninth summons from the ED, requiring his appearance on March 21. On March 20, the high court bench instructed the ED to submit its response regarding the petition’s admissibility.
The following day, the court also directed the ED to address Kejriwal’s plea for protection from arrest, stating it “not inclined to grant him any interim relief” at this point. Kejriwal subsequently arrested by the ED that evening and is presently in judicial custody at Tihar jail.
The federal probe agency accuses Kejriwal of collaborating with other suspects in formulating the now-defunct excise policy, which led to unjust advantages for them and kickbacks to the AAP.
In his petition, Kejriwal also challenges the constitutionality of specific provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) regarding arrest, interrogation, and bail.
He brought up numerous concerns, such as whether a political party falls under the anti-money laundering law. The accusation is that the “arbitrary procedure” under PMLA being employed to create an uneven playing field for the upcoming general elections, aiming to “manipulate the electoral process in favor of the ruling party at the Centre”.
Describing the petitioner as a “vocal critic” of the ruling party and a member of the opposition INDIA bloc, the petition argued that the ED, being under the control of the Union government, been “weaponized”.
Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21 came shortly after the Delhi High Court declined to provide him protection from coercive action by the ED. Subsequently, he was remanded to judicial custody on April 1, following the expiration of his custody under the ED.
The case centers around allegations of corruption and money laundering in the development and implementation of the Delhi government’s excise policy for the fiscal year 2021-22, a policy which has since been revoked. This matter drawn significant attention, not only due to the high-profile nature of the accused but also because of its implications for political and legal proceedings in the country.