New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday (December 6) refused to advance the hearing on a petition filed by former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal challenging an order of the trial court taking cognisance of a chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against him in an excise policy-linked money laundering case.
Kejriwal, who has filled the plea seeking setting aside of the trial court order taking cognisance of the chargesheet and quashing of all proceedings against him in the money laundering case, had sought that hearing on his plea challenging the trial court order be advanced from December 20.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri, hearing Kejriwal’s plea, said that the matter will be heard on December 20.
High Court earlier refused to stay proceedings before trial court
The High Court, while hearing Kejriwal’s plea on November 21, had issued notice to the ED on Kejriwal’s plea and sought the response of the ED, The court, however, had refused to stay the proceedings against Kejriwal before the trial court in the money laundering case.
What is the submission of Kejriwal?
Kejriwal, who has sought the direction from the High Court to set aside the order of the trial court taking cognisance of the chargesheet, has argued that he was a public servant when the alleged offence was committed and the trial court took cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the ED in the absence of any sanction to prosecute him in the case.
Trial court earlier took cognisance of seventh supplementary chargesheet filed by ED
The ED had earlier this year filed seventh supplementary chargesheet in the excise policy-linked money laundering case naming Kejriwal and AAP as an accused and the trial court had taken cognisance of the seventh supplementary chargesheet filed against Kejriwal and AAP.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in the excise policy-linked money laundering case on March 21 and was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on July 12.
