Arvind Kejriwal Appears Before Court in ED Summons Case, Granted Bail
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared before a court in New Delhi on Saturday in connection with a case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for skipping its summonses. The Rouse Avenue Court subsequently granted him bail. This marked Kejriwal’s first physical appearance before the court regarding the case; previously, he had appeared via video conferencing.
The Enforcement Directorate had issued summonses to Kejriwal in relation to the Delhi excise policy case, seeking his statement on various matters including the policy’s formulation, pre-finalization meetings, and allegations of bribery. Despite the summonses, Kejriwal had been skipping court appearances, asserting that they were illegal and politically motivated.
Advocate Ramesh Gupta, representing Kejriwal, informed ANI that the court directed Kejriwal to furnish a bond and surety bond amounting to ₹50,000, following which he was allowed to leave. Additionally, an application for the supply of copies was moved, with the date for reply and arguments set for April 1.
Responding to the developments, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari emphasized the importance of Kejriwal abiding by the law, stressing that as an individual who has sworn to uphold the Constitution, compliance with legal procedures is imperative.
Meanwhile, AAP leader Reena Gupta reiterated the party’s stance that the case against Kejriwal is politically motivated, emphasizing the absence of evidence. The court had recently declined to stay the summonses, with Kejriwal arguing that his absences were not intentional and that he had provided valid reasons.
The ED’s action against AAP leaders extends beyond Kejriwal, with six charge sheets filed in the Delhi excise policy case thus far. In its latest charge sheet, the ED alleged that the AAP utilized kickbacks amounting to ₹45 crore from the policy for its assembly elections campaign in Goa in 2022. Kejriwal’s party contends that the Centre aims to hinder his participation in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections by targeting him through the ED.
