New Delhi – Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was acquitted by a Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday, June 15, 2024, in one of two cases filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) concerning his non-compliance with summonses issued in connection with the Delhi excise policy probe. The court ruled the ED's complaint "not maintainable at this stage," citing a lack of criminal intent.

The complaint, filed by the ED, accused Mr. Kejriwal of failing to appear before the investigative agency despite receiving multiple summonses. Magistrate Divya Malhotra of the Rouse Avenue Court presided over the matter. This acquittal specifically pertains to the first of two complaints filed by the ED against Mr. Kejriwal regarding his absence from summonses. The court observed that the ED's complaint was "prematurely filed" as the primary Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) complaint in the excise policy case had not yet been filed when these summonses were initially issued.

Mr. Kejriwal had received eight summonses from the ED related to the excise policy investigation, which he had skipped. Following the ED's complaint to the court for non-compliance, he subsequently appeared before the Rouse Avenue Court voluntarily on March 16, 2024, after receiving court summonses in the matter and was granted bail.

Key details of the court's decision:

  • Date of Acquittal: June 15, 2024
  • Presiding Authority: Magistrate Divya Malhotra, Rouse Avenue Court, Delhi
  • Case Type: Complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for non-attendance in obedience to an order from a public servant.
  • Court's Reasoning: The court found no "mens rea" (criminal intent) on the part of Mr. Kejriwal and determined the ED's complaint to be "prematurely filed" and "not maintainable at this stage," particularly noting that the main PMLA complaint had not been filed when the summonses were issued.
  • Scope: This acquittal applies to one specific complaint filed by the ED regarding initial skipped summonses.

It is crucial to note that this acquittal does not impact the broader investigation into the alleged irregularities of the Delhi excise policy (2021-22). Mr. Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21, 2024, in connection with the main excise policy money laundering case. He was later granted interim bail by the Supreme Court to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections and subsequently surrendered on June 2, 2024. He was granted regular bail by a Delhi trial court on June 20, 2024, in the main PMLA case.

A separate complaint filed by the ED regarding Mr. Kejriwal's failure to appear for subsequent summonses in the same context remains pending before the Rouse Avenue Court. The next hearing for this second complaint is scheduled for July 10, 2024. The Enforcement Directorate's investigation into the Delhi excise policy case continues, with multiple individuals and entities facing scrutiny.