The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal why he is not appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. To this, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, said he apprehended that the ED would arrest him and he would appear if he is given protection.
"You are citizen of the country, the summons is by name only. Why don't you appear," the bench asked. Singhvi said that AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh were also arrested by the central agency after questioning.
"I am not a common criminal. Where can I run? Can anyone have roots in society more than me? I am saying I will appear physically, or virtually. For any duration, but I need protection," Singhvi stated.
ASG SV Raju, appearing for the ED, said Kejriwal has come to the court challenging the summons and the plea is not maintainable. He said the agency would file a reply on the maintainability of the petition. "I will show how the petition is not maintainable."
The court granted the agency two weeks to file its reply and posted the matter for hearing on April 22.
On Tuesday, Kejriwal, who has skipped 9 summons, moved the high court challenging the summons issued to him by the ED. He moved the court against the latest summons, the ninth issued by the ED asking him to appear before it for questioning under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Kejriwal has repeatedly refused to appear in response to these summonses, calling them illegal. The case pertains to alleged corruption in formulating and executing the city government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped. The CBI and ED have claimed that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours were extended to licence holders.
Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in the charge sheets filed by the ED. The agency has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal to formulate the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits for them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the Aam Aadmi Party.
Last week, the ED arrested BRS leader K Kavitha in the same case. Days after her arrest, conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar wrote a letter to Kavitha and said Kejriwal would be exposed and their collective scam would come out in the open. Sukesh first told Kavitha that the "truth has prevailed" and that her "karma is coming back".
"All your corrupt associates, including the king of corruption, my dearest Arvind Kejriwal, are going to be exposed to another level. Thousands of crores that you and your party have looted and stacked in Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany will all be out in open," he added.