Kejriwal’s Repeated Ignoring of ED Summons, Key Factor in His Arrest – High Court: In a recent development, the Delhi High Court has ruled in favor of the Enforcement Directorate’s arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with an alleged excise case. The court cited Kejriwal’s repeated non-compliance with summons over a six-month period as a contributing factor in his arrest.
The bench, led by Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma, emphasized that Kejriwal’s failure to join the investigation despite multiple summons left the Enforcement Directorate with little choice but to proceed with his arrest. The court highlighted that had Kejriwal cooperated with the investigation, he could have presented his version before the agency.
The judgment noted that the Enforcement Directorate had substantial material suggesting Kejriwal’s involvement in money laundering. Consequently, the agency had no option but to arrest him to further the investigation.
Responding to arguments that the arrest was politically motivated, the court asserted that judges are bound by legal principles, not political considerations. It stressed that the timing of the arrest, coinciding with general elections, did not indicate any malice on the part of the Enforcement Directorate.
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21, following which the trial court remanded him to judicial custody until April 15. The Enforcement Directorate alleges that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime related to the alleged liquor scam.
In its concluding remarks, the Delhi High Court affirmed that Kejriwal’s arrest and remand must be examined within the bounds of the law, rather than political circumstances. The court’s decision underscores the principle that legal judgments are driven by legal principles, not political affiliations.
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