NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) took a significant step on Saturday by filing a complaint before the Rouse Avenue Court against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his failure to appear in the investigation related to the Delhi Excise Policy Scam. This move comes after Kejriwal ignored the fifth summon issued by the agency, prompting the ED to escalate the matter.
EXCLUSIVE: Notice copy of Crime Branch served to Delhi CM
Crime Branch has asked him to give reply by Feb 5 on the allegations levelled against the BJP. Police says to #ArvindKejriwal, “As per tweet you’re privy to certain information regarding allegations.”
The notice states,… pic.twitter.com/byOCYdCND8
— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) February 4, 2024
The complaint against Kejriwal has been lodged under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for not obeying a legal order, Section 63 (4) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for intentionally disobeying any issued direction, and under Section 50, which pertains to the powers to summon.
The ED emphasised that Kejriwal remained non-compliant with the summons issued to him, prompting the agency to seek legal action.
During Saturday’s court proceedings, the judge heard the summon-related issues and scheduled the matter for further deliberation on February 7. The court is expected to hear arguments from both sides during the subsequent session.
Arvind Kejriwal had cooperated with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Delhi Excise Policy matter, where his statement was recorded. However, when summoned by the ED, Kejriwal chose not to join the probe, leading to the issuance of five summons by the agency.
Kejriwal staunchly expressed his refusal to participate in the ED’s probe, alleging that the agency was acting under the influence of the BJP, and characterising the entire case as a politically motivated vendetta against him.
The Delhi Chief Minister questioned the legality of the summons, stating, “They should let me know why I am summoned. Why do they want to interrogate me? Whether they want to interrogate me as Delhi CM or AAP convenor?” Kejriwal reiterated his claim that the ED’s summons were devoid of legal merit.
As of now, the ED has submitted five charge sheets in the matter, comprising one main chargesheet and four supplementary chargesheets. The legal proceedings are poised to unfold in the coming days as the ED intensifies its efforts to bring Kejriwal into compliance with the investigation.
