A Delhi court has acquitted former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in two cases filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged non-compliance with the agency’s summons regarding the Delhi excise policy case. The judgment was passed by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Paras Dalal of the Rouse Avenue Courts. A detailed copy of the court order is awaited.
The ED accused Kejriwal of intentionally skipping summons issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, related to the alleged excise policy “scam.” Despite five summons on different dates, Kejriwal did not appear before the ED, leading to prosecution for non-compliance. The ED emphasized that disobedience by a high-ranking public official like Kejriwal would set a wrong example for the public.
Responding to the ED’s complaint, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of the Rouse Avenue Court issued summons to Kejriwal. Despite Kejriwal’s efforts to challenge the summons in higher courts, the Delhi High Court upheld the issuance of summons. The ED’s investigation is linked to a case registered by the CBI in August 2022 regarding alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22.
The Rouse Avenue Court also acquitted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Amanatullah Khan in a separate case filed by the ED over alleged non-compliance with summons related to the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case.
