The ED has approached the High Court seeking removal of certain critical remarks made against it in a February 27 order of a trial court, which had discharged all accused, including Kejriwal and Sisodia, in the corruption case linked to the now-withdrawn excise policy.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday gave a “last and final opportunity” to AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia to file their responses to a plea moved by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case.
The ED has approached the High Court seeking removal of certain critical remarks made against it in a February 27 order of a trial court, which had discharged all accused, including Kejriwal and Sisodia, in the corruption case linked to the now-withdrawn excise policy.
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Hearing the matter, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma deferred proceedings and warned that failure to submit replies by the next date would result in closure of their right to respond. The court indicated that the case could then move ahead without their submissions.
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The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on April 22.
Earlier, the High Court had adjourned the case on March 19 to allow the respondents time to place their replies on record. However, the submissions remain pending.
Representing the ED, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju and special counsel Zoheb Hossain argued that the trial court’s observations were broad and unjustified. They contended that the agency was not allowed to present its case before such remarks were recorded.
The ED also maintained that the proceedings before the trial court were confined to a corruption case investigated by the CBI and did not involve offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), making the adverse comments against it inappropriate.
The February 27 order by the Rouse Avenue Court had cleared 23 accused, including Kejriwal and Sisodia, in the CBI case while also passing observations against the ED, now at the centre of the High Court challenge.
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