New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday deferred the hearing of petitions filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, challenging a trial court’s decision to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet in the alleged excise policy scam.
The petitions, initially scheduled for hearing today before Justice Ravinder Dudeja, have now been rescheduled for August 12. Kejriwal and Sisodia argue that the trial court erred in accepting the chargesheet without requisite prosecution sanctions, a mandatory step under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for public servants.
The ED contends that the necessary sanctions have since been obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs and submitted to the court, rendering the petitions moot.
Both leaders were arrested in 2024 in connection with the case. Kejriwal was granted bail by the Supreme Court in September 2024, while Sisodia secured bail in August 2024.
The High Court’s decision to defer the hearing extends the legal proceedings in a case that has significant political implications.