High Court in Delhi requests Emergency Directorate's reaction to Arvind Kejriwal's petition challenging summoning in ongoing Excise policy case.
Arvind Kejriwal, the National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is currently engaged in a legal battle with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over summons issued in the Delhi Excise Policy case. The latest development in this ongoing saga is that the Delhi High Court (HC) has issued notice to the ED, seeking its response to the petitions filed by Kejriwal.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja, presiding over the case, has directed the ED to file a detailed reply, including any preliminary objections, by the next hearing on September 10, 2025. The ED has objected to the maintainability of the petitions, arguing that similar relief was earlier denied and that a second revision petition on the same grounds is not sustainable.
Kejriwal had earlier been summoned by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and appeared before the magistrate court, where he was granted bail. His petitions contend that the summons are invalid, while the ED insists that Kejriwal has no right to question their issuance and accuses him of deliberately avoiding investigation.
The investigation agencies have alleged that the funds garnered from this exercise were used to fund the AAP's election campaign in Goa. The Delhi excise policy case stems from alleged irregularities in the 2021-22 Delhi excise policy. The case involves accusations that several AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, were involved in deliberately leaving loopholes in the excise policy in exchange for kickbacks from liquor lobbies.
Both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate are investigating the case. On September 13, Kejriwal was granted bail in the CBI case by the High Court. The special counsel for the ED, Zoheb Hossain, raised a preliminary objection to the maintainability of the petition.
The matter is scheduled to be heard next on September 10, providing a crucial juncture in the legal proceedings against Kejriwal. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for Kejriwal and the AAP, as well as for the broader political landscape in India.
The upcoming hearing on September 10 could shape the outcome of Arvind Kejriwal's legal battle with the Enforcement Directorate, as the Delhi High Court has issued notice to both parties in the ongoing Delhi Excise Policy case. Given the complexity of the case, involving allegations of irregularities in policy-and-legislation and accusations of corruption in crime-and-justice, its resolution could have significant implications for Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party, and the larger political landscape in India, falling under the umbrella of general-news and politics.
