Delhi court grants a day's exemption from physical appearance to Kejriwal

New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) A court here on Saturday granted a day's exemption from physical appearance to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with a complaint filed by the ED over non-compliance with the agency's summons in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.

However, Kejriwal appeared before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra of Rouse Avenue Court through video conferencing and told the court that due to the ongoing budget session, he could not physically appear before the court.

The court adjourned the matter to March 16 after Kejriwal moved an application for exemption from personal appearance.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra, had taken cognisance of the complaint on Februray 7.

"...summons are being issued to him to appear on February 17," the judge had said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), on January 31, issued fresh summons to Kejriwal, and he was told to appear before it on February 2. That was the fifth summons issued to the AAP Convenor.

The financial probe agency's complaint alleged that Kejriwal intentionally did not want to obey the summons and kept on giving “lame excuses.”

"If a high-ranking public functionary like him disobeyed the law, it would set a wrong example for the common man,” the agency said.

The ED had issued a fourth summons to Kejriwal on January 13, asking him to appear before it on January 18.

On February 2, AAP said that Kejriwal did not appear before the ED for questioning, and also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he wants to topple the Delhi government.

"Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before ED today as well. The party calls the summon 'unlawful'. We will comply with the lawful summons. PM Modi's aim is to arrest Arvind Kejriwal and topple the Delhi Government. We will not allow this to happen," AAP had said.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal brought a motion of confidence in the Delhi Assembly on Friday after the ED summoned him for the sixth time.