Arvind Kejriwal appears before Delhi Court in Excise Policy Scam [WATCH VIDEO]

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared before a Delhi court on Saturday in the complaint case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for non-compliance of summons in relation to Delhi Excise Policy scam. .Kejriwal appeared before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra of the Rouse Avenue Court, which had issued summons against him.He was then granted bail in relation to the court's warrant, subject to furnishing a bond of ₹15,000 and a surety of the same amount..The ED had initially moved court saying that the CM was not responding to its summons in relation to the Delhi Excise Policy scam.The agency filed the complaint cases against Kejriwal after he repeatedly failed to join the investigation in the case, despite issuance of summons to him under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).After he failed to appear before the court, it issued a warrant against him..Notably, on February 17, Kejriwal had joined the proceedings before the ACMM through virtual conference and stated that he will appear before the court in person on March 16.However, just two days before the hearing, Kejriwal chose to file pleas before the sessions court challenging both orders of the ACMM by which summons were issued to him on the complaints moved by ED.The sessions court dismissed Kejriwal's plea on Friday, pursuant to which he appeared before the magistrate court on Saturday..When the matter came up today, Kejriwal's sought for bail."The court may pass order for his bond so that he can leave and we can then proceed," said Senior Advocate Ramesh Gupta on behalf of Kejriwal. The Court granted the request. It then began hearing the plea relating to the summons issued against by the ED."For what purpose were they summoning me? They have the authority I know. But can they summon even the lawyers ki bhai tum bhi aa jaa?" Gupta asked.Gupta also pointed out that Kejriwal has not been supplied certain documents."They want to delay the proceedings. Whatever documents he is entitled to, he has been supplied," Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju said on behalf of ED..The court listed the hearing on Kejriwal's application for supply of documents under Section 207 of Code or Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on April 1..The ED’s money laundering probe stems from a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 17, 2022 in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22. The CBI case was registered on a complaint made by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on July 20, 2022. The ED subsequently registered a case on the money laundering angle against the accused persons on August 22, 2022.It has been alleged that a criminal conspiracy was hatched by AAP leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia and other unidentified and unnamed private persons/entities during the stage of the policy’s formulation.The conspiracy, it has been alleged, stemmed from some of the loopholes “intentionally” left or created in the policy. These were allegedly meant to favour some licensees and conspirators post the tender process.Kickbacks are alleged to have been paid through hawala channels by a few persons in the liquor business from South India to some public servants of the AAP to achieve the objectives of “monopoly and cartelisation” among liquor manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, according to the central agencies.