New Delhi, Mar 14 (UNI) Delhi's Special Court on Thursday adjourned hearing on the criminal revision filed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against the Magistrate Court's summons directing him to appear before it on the complaint of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED complaint accused Kejriwal of non-compliance of summons in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam case.
CBI Special Judge Rakesh Syal, after hearing partial arguments on behalf of Counsel for ED and Defence Counsel, adjourned the further hearing in the revision petition for March 15.
Counsel for Kejriwal submitted before the court that it is a summoning trial case and the maximum punishment is one-month jail term or fine. The counsel requested to court to allow Kejriwal to appear before the court through counsel or stay the order of the Court.
Counsel for ED opposed the plea of the Defence Counsel.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra, after taking cognizance of Enforcement Directorate (ED) complaint, issued summon against Kejriwal for his appearance on March 16.
Government counsel submitted that, as per the mandate of Section 50(3) of the Act, the respondent/ proposed accused was legally bound to comply with the summons, but allegedly he failed to do so.
He submitted that every non-compliance with the summons issued by a public servant would tantamount to a separate offence.
In this matter, the Enforcement Directorate has alleged that the Excise Policy was implemented as part of a conspiracy to give wholesale business profits of 12 percent to certain private companies.
ED has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal regarding the preparation of the Excise policy for 2021–22. UNI XC AKS SSP