New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been granted bail by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Saturday after failing to comply with summons from investigative agencies in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
The court asked him to provide a personal bond of Rs 15,000 and a security bond of Rs 1 lakh to secure his release.
Arvind Kejriwal found himself entangled in legal proceedings under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code, pertaining to disobeying a lawful order to appear at a specified location, when he repeatedly disregarded summonses from the Enforcement Directorate related to the purported Delhi excise policy irregularities.
The court’s decision to grant bail came after the Enforcement Directorate informed the court about Kejriwal’s repeated absences, having skipped eight summonses issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. However, the Chief Minister has been exempted from appearing in person for the upcoming hearing scheduled for April 1.
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In response to skipping the Enforcement Directorate’s summons, Arvind Kejriwal accused the Narendra Modi-led government of exploiting central agencies to target opposition figures.
The most recent summons from the Enforcement Directorate arrived in late February, mandating Kejriwal’s presence for questioning on March 4. However, Arvind Kejriwal, deeming the summonses as “illegitimate,” expressed willingness to participate only through video-conferencing. Nevertheless, the financial investigative agency insisted on his physical presence, asserting the absence of provisions for virtual interrogation.
Notably, prominent AAP leaders, including former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, have faced arrests by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to Delhi’s now-defunct excise policy.
Kejriwal’s involvement has been repeatedly highlighted in the charge sheets filed by the agency, alleging communication between the accused and the Chief Minister during the formulation of the excise policy.
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