Delhi HC refuses to grant interim protection from ED summons to CM Kejriwal

On March 20, the court had asked Kejriwal on why is he not appearing before the ED for questioning in an excise policy-linked money-laundering case, as it sought the agency's stand on the AAP leader's plea challenging the summonses issues against him.

"Why don't you appear on receiving the summonses? What is preventing you not to attend?" asked the bench.

Kejriwal has repeatedly refused to appear before the agency, calling the summonses illegal. The court said arrest on the "first or second day" is not the "normal practice" as an investigating agency first records the reasons to do so, if grounds are made out.

Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in the chargesheets filed by the ED. The agency has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal for formulating the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits for them, in return for which they paid kickbacks to the AAP.

A Delhi court granted bail to Kejriwal on Saturday on two complaints filed by the ED against him for skipping six of the previous eight summonses in the money-laundering case.