New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following a plea filed by Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, challenging his arrest and contesting the remand granted by the trial court. However, the court refrained from granting immediate relief to Kejriwal.
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- The bench of Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma stated that the respondent/ED has to be granted an opportunity to file a reply, as an opportunity for effective representation, and declining this opportunity would amount to denial of fair hearing as well as violation of one of the principles of natural justice.
- The court, while fixing matter for April 3, further stated that any release order from custody will amount to enlarging the accused/petitioner/ Arvind Kejriwal on bail or interim bail, as an interim measure.
- According to Kejriwal’s plea, both the arrest and the remand order are illegal and he is entitled to be released from custody.
- The trial court on March 22, sent CM Kejriwal to ED remand till March 28.
- ED alleged that the AAP is the major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the alleged liquor scam. The agency claimed that Kejriwal was directly involved in the formation of the excise policy.
- Kejriwal was arrested by the central agency late Thursday night on charges of corruption in relation to the case.
- The move came after Kejriwal skipped multiple summons by the investigation agency, nine in total, calling them “illegal”.
- The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy 2022, which was later scrapped.
