Excise Policy Case: Delhi HC Lists Arvind Kejriwal’s Plea Against ED Summons for Hearing on July 11

The Delhi High Court has listed a hearing for July 11 regarding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's petition challenging the summonses issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The summonses are related to the ED's investigation into the alleged money laundering case linked to the excise policy.

A bench led by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait has extended the deadline by four weeks for AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal. This extension comes after the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail until June 1 to campaign in the Lok Sabha Elections. Kejriwal now has additional time to file a rejoinder to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) submitted reply.

Previously, the counsel representing the ED had stated that the petition challenging the summonses had become irrelevant after Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the agency on March 21 in the money laundering case. This followed the high court's decision to deny him interim protection from coercive action.

During Wednesday's proceedings, the lawyer representing the agency said that the petitioner must specify the forum where he intends to address his concerns. Additionally, the court noted that a single judge of the high court had previously dismissed the AAP leader's petition regarding his arrest, and an appeal against this decision was currently pending in the Supreme Court.

"Take instructions. Nothing survives in petition," the bench, also comprising Justice Manoj Jain, said. Senior advocate Vikram Chaudhary, appearing for Kejriwal, however, said the issues raised in the petition with respect to the "reading down" of the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) have not been decided by the single judge and urged the court to grant more time to file the rejoinder.