Kejriwal secures bail in ED summons case

A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after he appeared before it for a hearing on two complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking his prosecution for not complying with the agency’s summonses for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy.

The court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra granted bail after the CM furnished a bail bond and a surety of ₹15,000 each.

A sessions court had on Friday rejected Mr. Kejriwal’s plea seeking a stay on the proceedings in the magistrate court, which had ordered him to personally appear before it on March 16 after the probe agency filed two separate complaints against him.

The AAP national convener has so far skipped eight summonses issued by the ED between December 2023 and March 2024 in the case linked to the Delhi excise policy for 202122, which allegedly benefited certain liquor manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.

Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in connection with the case.

ED’s reply sought

After securing bail, the CM moved an application in the court under Section 207 of the CrPC, seeking some documents detailing the reasons and grounds for the ED summonses.

Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the agency, replied that Mr. Kejriwal was supplied with whatever documents he is entitled to. The court ordered the agency to reply to the application and listed the matter for hearing on April 1.