Delhi High Court Postpones Hearing on Kejriwal's Challenge Against Liquor Scam Trial Proceedings
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New Delhi, Dec 20 (NationPress) On Friday, the Delhi High Court postponed the hearing concerning a plea submitted by former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. This plea challenges the trial court’s decision to acknowledge the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s prosecution complaint in the purported liquor policy scam.
A bench led by Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri chose to defer the proceedings after the ED requested an adjournment due to the unavailability of Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju.
This request faced resistance from Kejriwal’s attorney, who argued that the federal anti-money laundering agency should not be permitted to seek a postponement. The lawyer representing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader emphasized that an expedited date for the next hearing should be scheduled, especially with the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
Consequently, the bench headed by Justice Ohri decided to reschedule the hearing for January 30, 2025, coinciding with a similar petition submitted by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
Both Kejriwal and Sisodia have submitted separate petitions to the Delhi High Court requesting a stay on the trial proceedings, arguing that the trial court improperly took cognizance of the alleged offenses under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) without prior sanction from the ED for prosecution.
The petition contends that the trial court should not have acknowledged the ED’s prosecution complaint without requisite sanction, given that Kejriwal was in public office when the alleged money laundering offense occurred.
On September 13, the Supreme Court granted bail to the former Chief Minister in relation to the corruption case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) associated with the liquor policy matter.
Previously, in July, the apex court had ordered Kejriwal's release on interim bail concerning the money laundering case initiated by the ED.
Recently, the Supreme Court also approved a request by senior AAP leader Sisodia to relax the bail condition that mandated him to report to the Investigating Officer bi-weekly.
Stating that such a condition was unnecessary, the court exempted Sisodia from reporting every Monday and Thursday between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
