Delhi High Court issues notice to Kejriwal on ED plea against acquittal in summons cases

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's stand on a plea by the ED challenging his acquittal in two separate cases lodged against him for not appearing before the agency despite summonses issued in the excise policy case.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice to the AAP leader on two pleas by the the ED against the trial court's January 22 orders, and listed the matter for hearing on April 29.

"Respondent has chosen not to appear despite service (of advance notice). Issue fresh notice and list it for hearing on April 29," the court said.

The agency alleged in its complaint in the trial court that the then chief minister intentionally omitted to obey them by not responding to summonses and did not attend the probe.

It also alleged Kejriwal raised frivolous objections and deliberately created grounds for not attending the probe.

In its decision, the trial court said that ED failed to prove that Kejriwal intentionally disobeyed the summonses issued to him.

The ED has alleged that the other accused in the case were in touch with Kejriwal for formulating the now-scrapped excise policy that resulted in undue benefits to them and kickbacks to the Aam Aadmi Party.

Kejriwal is presently on interim bail in the money laundering case, with the Supreme Court referring questions on the aspect of the "need and necessity of arrest" under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to a larger bench for an in-depth consideration.

On February 27, the trial court discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 others in the liquor policy case, saying the CBI case was wholly unable to survive judicial scrutiny and stood discredited in its entirety.

The CBI's plea against the discharge is pending in the high court.