'ED Should Wait For Court's Decision': AAP As Kejriwal Skips Summons For 6th Time

The AAP stated that the central probe agency should wait before issuing summons as the matter is currently before the Court.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Source : PTI

For the sixth time, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal skipped the Enforcement Directorate's summons to appear before it for an inquiry into the Delhi excise policy issue. The AAP stated that the central probe agency should wait before issuing summons as the matter is currently before the Court. "ED should wait for court's decision instead of repeatedly sending summonses to Delhi CM Kejriwal," said AAP, news agency PTI reported.

ED should wait for court's decision instead of repeatedly sending summonses to Delhi CM Kejriwal: AAP

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 19, 2024

Earlier on Saturday, Kejriwal informed a court that he wished to appear in connection with a plea filed by the ED under the excise policy case in person, but was unable to do so due to the budget session and floor test.

Appearing before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra via video link, CM Kejriwal stated: "I wanted to attend to court, but this trust vote popped up unexpectedly. Our budget session runs until the first week of March. You may tell me a date after that, and I'll appear."

The court accepted the AAP Chief’s request and scheduled the next hearing for the case to be held on March 16.

On February 14, the central probe agency issued a sixth summon to Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam, requesting him to appear at its headquarters on February 19.

On February 3, the ED approached the court through the assistant director, alleging that Kejriwal had evaded summons to join the probe in the Delhi excise policy case, and seeking to issue summons to Kejriwal and seeked a trial against him for violating Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by failing to comply with a public servant's orders.

According to Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code, failing to appear on a summons issued by a public worker can result in imprisonment up to one month and a fine of Rs 500.

The agency had filed a complaint under Section 190 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), stating that he purposefully failed to answer the summons and presented "frivolous" arguments.