The Delhi High Court is scheduled to address Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's legal challenge against summonses issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) pertaining to a money laundering investigation linked to an excise policy on 22 April.
This development follows Kejriwal's arrest by the agency on March 21, subsequent to the high court's denial of interim protection from coercive measures. Central to Kejriwal's petition is the questioning of the constitutional validity of specific provisions within the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, particularly regarding arrest, interrogation, and the grant of bail.
The hearing will be presided over by a bench comprising Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Manoj Jain. Kejriwal initiated legal proceedings after receiving the ninth summons from the ED, which required his appearance on March 21.
The court, on March 20, instructed the ED to furnish its response regarding the maintainability of Kejriwal's petition. Despite Kejriwal's plea for protection against arrest, the court declined interim relief "at this stage."
Consequently, Kejriwal was apprehended by the ED later that day and is presently under judicial custody.
The ED has alleged that individuals associated with Kejriwal were involved in devising the now-defunct excise policy, which purportedly conferred undue advantages upon them in exchange for kickbacks directed towards the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Kejriwal's petition raises various concerns, including the applicability of anti-money laundering laws to political parties. It contends that the arbitrary procedures outlined in the PMLA are being exploited to skew the electoral landscape in favor of the ruling party at the national level.
Describing Kejriwal as a prominent critic of the ruling party and a member of the INDIA bloc, the petition suggests that the ED, operating under the auspices of the Union government, has been "weaponized" for political ends. This intricate legal battle not only addresses the specifics of Kejriwal's case but also delves into broader questions concerning the intersection of law, politics, and governance in India.
