The Delhi High Court was informed that senior counsel will be appointed to represent Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the Delhi excise policy case. The court was hearing petitions filed by both challenging their arrests by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED alleged a conspiracy involving Kejriwal and Sisodia to launder proceeds of crime related to irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22. The agency claims Kejriwal was directly involved in the formulation of the policy and benefited from it, while Sisodia played a key role in its implementation and actively participated in the alleged criminal activity.
Kejriwal’s counsel argued his arrest was illegal and politically motivated, coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections. They contended the ED lacked sufficient evidence to justify his arrest and that he was not required for custodial interrogation. Sisodia’s petition similarly challenged the legality of his arrest and the ED’s remand order.
The High Court issued notice to the ED, seeking its response to the petitions. During the hearing, the court expressed concern over the lack of representation by senior counsel for the accused. The counsel appearing for Kejriwal and Sisodia assured the court they would engage senior lawyers to argue their case effectively.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 22, directing the filing of affidavits by both Kejriwal and Sisodia. The ED was directed to file its counter-affidavits before the next date of hearing. The core issue before the court is whether the arrests of Kejriwal and Sisodia were lawful, given the allegations of political motivation and lack of concrete evidence presented by the ED. The court will examine the validity of the ED’s actions and the grounds for arrest. The case revolves around allegations of corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy.
