Delhi Excise Policy: AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared before the Rouse Avenue court via video conferencing on Saturday in connection with a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate against him over non-compliance with its summons in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy.
The chief minister told the court that he could not physically appear before the court today due to the confidence motion discussion in the assembly and the ongoing budget session. The court has fixed March 16 for the physical appearance of Kejriwal.
On Friday, Kejriwal said he will bring a trust vote in the Assembly today. The development comes just days after the anti-corruption agency summoned the Delhi chief minister for the sixth time in connection with the liquor policy scam case.
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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener has so far skipped five previous summons issued by the ED on February 2, January 18, January 3, November 2 and December 22, calling them "illegal and politically motivated". The AAP convener had earlier written to the ED alleging that the summonses were aimed at preventing him from campaigning in elections.
The Enforcement Directorate, in its complaint, said that the Delhi chief minister purposefully chose not to comply with the summons and continued to provide "lame excuses". If a high-ranking public functionary like him disobeyed the law, it would "set a wrong example for the common man i.e. the Aam Aadmi,” the agency said.
On February 7, the court summoned Kejriwal for February 17, noting that prima facie the AAP chief was "legally bound" to comply.
"From the contents of the complaint and the material placed on record, prima facie offence under Section 174 of the IPC is made out and there are sufficient grounds for proceeding under against accused Arvind Kejriwal...Accordingly, issue summons to accused Arvind Kejriwal for the offence under Section 174 of the IPC for February 17, 2024," the judge had said.