Kejriwal's Plea in Excise Policy Case Awaits Court's Deliberation

Arvind Kejriwal, former Delhi Chief Minister, has filed a plea claiming the absence of a sanction order in an Enforcement Directorate case. The Rouse Avenue Court has scheduled a hearing for November 28. Kejriwal challenges the trial court's decision regarding the chargesheet in the alleged excise policy scam.

The Rouse Avenue Court will hear Arvind Kejriwal's plea on November 28 after he claimed he didn't receive the sanction order related to an Enforcement Directorate (ED) case against him. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja granted the ED more time to respond.

Kejriwal's plea highlights the Solicitor General's statement, asserting the necessary sanction was obtained during the chargesheet filing. However, Advocate Mudit Jain argues that the sanction document was absent from the provided materials.

The Delhi High Court issued a notice on Kejriwal's challenge to the trial court's decision to acknowledge the ED chargesheet in the excise policy case, scheduling a December 20 hearing for further arguments. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the plea, insisting the proper sanction was secured.

The plea addresses the trial court's alleged error in taking cognizance of the offence under the PMLA without prior sanction, as Kejriwal was a public servant then. Kejriwal is out on bail in the ED and CBI cases linked to the excise policy.

The ED alleges the policy favored AAP leaders via kickbacks, influencing liquor business dealings and election outcomes in Punjab and Goa. The charges include lucrative liquor distribution rights granted to private entities in exchange for kickbacks.

(With inputs from agencies.)