Delhi excise scam: ED files case against Arvind Kejriwal for skipping summons, says report

The Enforcement Directorate sources told PTI news agency that they have filed a complaint against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for intentionally skipping summons in the excise policy scam case.

The agency has filed a complaint against Kejriwal under IPC Section 174 for skipping the first three summons intentionally.

It is also expected to issue fresh summons to the CM. The sources further claimed that a court has found the CM "disobeying" the earlier notices and held that he is liable to be prosecuted.

Kejriwal, 55, refused to depose before the federal agency for the sixth time on Monday with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) saying the ED should wait for the court's decision instead of repeatedly sending summonses to the CM, also the party's national convenor.

A Delhi court on February 17 had granted exemption to Kejriwal from personal appearance for the day in connection with the complaint filed by the central agency for disobeying its summons in the excise policy-linked money laundering case.

The court posted the matter for March 16 and Kejriwal's counsel assured the court of his physical appearance that day.

The ED sources said the agency had filed a complaint before this court under section 174 of IPC against Kejriwal for "intentionally disobeying" the first three summons issued to him in this case.

The court has taken cognisance of the same and prima facie accepted that Kejriwal committed an offence for which he is liable to be prosecuted, the sources claimed.

The court had said that from the contents of the complaint and the material placed on record (by the ED), prima facie offence under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) is made out and there are sufficient grounds for proceeding against the accused (Kejriwal).

The question in front of the court is not about the validity of the summons rather the illegal act on part of Kejriwal of intentionally disobeying the said three summons, the sources said.

Hence, the ED is not wrong in issuing him summons despite the court matter listed for March 16, they said.

Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in charge sheets filed by the ED in the case. The agency has said that the accused were in touch with him regarding the preparation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

(With PTI inputs)