Delhi HC to hear CM Kejriwal’s plea challenging ED summonses on May 15

NEW DELHI — The Delhi High Court on Monday posted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s petition challenging the summonses issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy case for hearing on May 15.

A bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain granted two weeks to the petitioner’s side to file a rejoinder to the reply affidavit filed by the ED.

In a short exchange, the probe agency argued that the petition filed by CM Kejriwal has turned infructuous since he has already been arrested in the money laundering case.

It added that CM Kejriwal’s other plea challenging his arrest was dismissed by a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court and his appeal is currently pending before the Supreme Court.

Responding to this, the counsel representing the Chief Minister said the initial action of the agency was not in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and he intends to bring on record the rejoinder arguments to the objections raised by the ED concerning the maintainability of the petition.

The court then granted two weeks for the filing of a counter affidavit and posted the matter for hearing on May 15.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 after the Delhi High Court denied him interim protection against ‘coercive action’ by the central agency, which issued multiple summonses to him.

Asking the ED to file a reply on the maintainability of Kejriwal’s plea challenging the agency’s nine summonses issued to him, the Delhi High Court had listed the matter for hearing on April 22.