Delhi Court Orders Kejriwal To Appear On Feb 17 After Skipping 5th ED Summons

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has instructed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to present himself before it on February 17, in response to a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding his failure to comply with previous summons related to an alleged liquor policy case.

The order was issued by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra.

The ED lodged its complaint under sections 190 and 200 of the CrPC, as well as section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), citing Kejriwal’s non-cooperation with the investigation.

The ED seeks to interrogate Kejriwal concerning the now-defunct excise policy of the AAP government. Kejriwal has contested the legitimacy of the summons, asserting that he has not been formally charged in the case.

Previously, three prominent AAP figures – former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair – were arrested by the ED in connection with the case.

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Kejriwal was initially summoned by the ED in October 2023 for questioning on November 2.

He cited official duties in Delhi preceding Diwali, as well as party commitments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, as reasons for his non-appearance.

During subsequent summonses, Kejriwal cited various reasons for his absence, including attending a Vipassana meditation session, Rajya Sabha elections, Republic Day celebrations, and prior engagements in Goa.

The latest summons, issued last Wednesday, mandated Kejriwal’s appearance for questioning on Friday.

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