The Delhi High
Court on Wednesday sought the stand of the Enforcement Directorate on a
petition by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging the summons issued to
him in an excise policy-linked money laundering case.
The investigating
agency claimed the petition of the AAP national convenor, which also challenges
certain provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, was not
maintainable.
A bench headed by
Justice Suresh Kumar Kait granted two weeks' time to the ED to file its reply
on this aspect.
Kejriwal has
moved the court in the wake of the latest summons, the ninth issued by the ED
asking him to appear before it on March 21 for questioning under the provisions
of PMLA.
Senior advocate
AM Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, said the petition raises several issues,
including whether a political party is covered by the anti-money laundering
law.
The court also
asked the AAP leader why he was not appearing pursuant to the summons to him.
The senior lawyer
for the petitioner said protection from coercive action is required in the
matter because of the agency's "clear intent" to apprehend him when
elections are around the corner.
Kejriwal has
repeatedly refused to appear in response to these summonses, calling them
illegal.
The case pertains
to alleged corruption in formulating and executing the city government's excise
policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped.
Following a
recommendation by Lt Governor V K Saxena, the CBI registered an FIR over
alleged corruption which subsequently resulted in the money laundering probe.
The agencies have
claimed that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy
and undue favours were extended to licence holders.
AAP leaders
Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in the case.
Kejriwal's name has
been mentioned multiple times in the charge sheets filed by the ED in the
excise policy case. The agency has alleged that the accused were in touch with
Kejriwal for formulating the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits for
them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the Aam Aadmi Party.