Courtroom Drama: Arvind Kejriwal's Challenge Against ED Summons Unfolds

In a setback for Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi High Court refused relief as it heard his petition challenging the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Delhi excise policy case. During the proceedings, Justice Suresh Kumar Kait questioned Kejriwal's absence from ED appearances. Representing Kejriwal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi expressed readiness for Kejriwal's questioning but requested protection from arrest, citing the arrests of other AAP leaders in the same case. The Additional Solicitor General representing the ED opposed Kejriwal's plea. The court instructed the ED to respond within two weeks and granted Kejriwal one week to file a rejoinder. Kejriwal also sought protection from arrest during the hearing, although the court did not address this request. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on April 22. In a separate case, the Supreme Court criticized the ED's practices during the bail application of Prem Prakash, an accused in a money laundering case linked to former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta questioned the ED's filing of supplementary chargesheets, prolonging investigations while the accused remained incarcerated without trial for over 18 months. The court highlighted that the ED cannot delay trials until investigations conclude, especially when the accused have been in jail for extended periods. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court provided relief to TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in the coal scam case, granting him protection from ED summoning until July.