The Rouse Avenue Court, on Thursday, acknowledged the Enforcement Directorate’s second complaint and issued fresh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his physical appearance before the court on March 16. The ED moved the court with a second complaint alleging non-compliance with summons in the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case.
The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra passed the order, stating, “The Enforcement Directorate has moved a second complaint against Arvind Kejriwal under Section 190 (1)(a) CrPC r/w section 200 CrPC 1973 r/w section 174 IPC, 1860 r/w section 63 (4) of PMLA, 2002 for non-attendance in compliance with Section 50, PMLA, 2002.”
Earlier, the ED had filed a complaint against Kejriwal, and the court had issued summons. Kejriwal appeared virtually and expressed his intent to join the court proceedings physically. The court granted an exemption for the day and set March 16 for his physical appearance.
On the first ED complaint, the Rouse Avenue Court had taken cognizance on February 7 this year. Kejriwal had agreed to appear virtually after March 12, calling the ED summons “illegal.” The ED aims to record Kejriwal’s statement on policy formulation, meetings, and bribery allegations.
In the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case, the AAP has been accused of using kickbacks for its Goa assembly elections campaign. The policy was scrapped after an alleged probe into irregularities. AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are already in judicial custody in the case. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, while Singh, a Rajya Sabha member, was arrested by the ED on October 5.