Himalaya Harbineger, National Bureau.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made a physical appearance before the Rouse Avenue Court in the national capital on Saturday, responding to summonses issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court later granted him bail in connection with the case filed by the agency for his previous non-compliance with their summonses. This marked Kejriwal’s first physical appearance in court regarding the case; previously, he had appeared via video conferencing.
The Enforcement Directorate has filed two complaints against Kejriwal for disregarding their summonses related to the Delhi excise policy case. The agency seeks to record Kejriwal’s statement on various aspects of the policy formulation, pre-finalization meetings, and allegations of bribery.
Advocate Ramesh Gupta, representing Kejriwal, stated, “The court directed him (Arvind Kejriwal) to furnish a bond and surety bond for the sum of ₹50,000. Both bonds were furnished, and Kejriwal was allowed to go. After that, we moved an application for supply of copies under 207 and 91 CrPC for which reply and arguments – the date is fixed for April 1.”
In response to the court’s decision, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari emphasized, “Following the law is appropriate for a person who has taken the oath of the Constitution,” stressing Kejriwal’s obligation to adhere to legal proceedings.
On the other hand, AAP leader Reena Gupta defended Kejriwal, stating, “We have been saying from the start that this is a political vendetta & is a baseless case. No evidence has been found.”
The court’s decision comes after Kejriwal’s claims of no intentional disobedience, citing explanations for his previous absences which were not deemed false. The court had recently refused to stay the summonses, leading to Kejriwal’s scheduled appearance.
Furthermore, allegations have been leveled against other AAP leaders in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. The ED, in its sixth charge sheet, named AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his aide Sarvesh Mishra, alleging the use of kickbacks worth ₹45 crore in the AAP’s campaign for the 2022 Goa assembly elections. AAP leader Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are currently in custody over similar charges.
The AAP alleges that the Centre’s motive behind the ED’s actions is to disrupt Kejriwal’s participation in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
