LI Network
Published on: March 21, 2024 at 20:35 IST
Delhi High Court in case of Arvind Kejriwal’s involvement in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the liquor policy in Delhi. The High Court refused to grant him immediate protection from legal action. The bench, consisting of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Manoj Jain, stated that they would not pass any orders at this stage. However, they allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to respond to Kejriwal’s plea seeking interim relief.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented Kejriwal, arguing against the ED’s actions, claiming they were influenced by the upcoming elections and lacked clarity. On the other side, ASG SV Raju representing ED opposed interim relief, asserting that Kejriwal must abide by the law like any other individual.
The court questioned whether Kejriwal was called in his personal capacity or as a Chief Minister, to which Raju clarified that he was summoned as an individual. Raju emphasized the necessity of Kejriwal’s interrogation based on available evidence.
In response, Singhvi argued that Kejriwal’s involvement was only as the convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He challenged the maintainability of the summons and sought protection from coercive measures.
The ED had filed complaints against Kejriwal for non-compliance with summons, alleging involvement in a conspiracy related to the excise policy. Kejriwal, however, maintained that the summons were illegal. Aam Aadmi Party leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh have been arrested in the same case.
The court will further deliberate on the matter, with the next hearing scheduled for April 22nd.