Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal approached the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on trial court proceedings in the Delhi Excise Policy case. Kejriwal is challenging a sessions court's decision to take cognizance of prosecution complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), citing a lack of sanction for the proceedings.
Kejriwal’s plea contests the sessions court’s September 17 order, which dismissed his earlier challenge against the summons issued in the case. The matter is expected to be listed for hearing on Thursday.
The ED had earlier filed complaints before the magisterial court, accusing Kejriwal of skipping multiple summonses linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. On November 12, the Delhi High Court sought a response from the ED regarding Kejriwal's plea challenging the summons issued against him.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri, however, declined to stay the ongoing trial. He observed that the trial court’s order, which Kejriwal is contesting, was issued two months ago and was not a fresh directive.
The High Court has issued a notice to the ED, seeking its response to Kejriwal’s petition, which questions the validity of the summons issued by the agency in the excise policy case.
Kejriwal previously secured interim bail from the Supreme Court in a related money laundering case on July 12. Additionally, he was granted bail by the apex court in the CBI case connected to the same matter on September 13.
Kejriwal's legal team has raised questions about the maintainability of the complaint, arguing that while the summons were issued by one officer, the complaint itself was filed by another.
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