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Liquor policy case: Delhi HC refuses to stay trial, issues notice to ED over Kejriwal’s plea challenging charge-sheet

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal is facing probe by ED and CBI over alleged irregularities in implementation of Delhi excise policy

(File) Former Delhi CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal

The Delhi High Court issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate on former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s petition challenging its charge-sheet against him in the liquor policy case. However, The Court refused to stay the trial proceedings against him.

Delhi High Court Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri sought a response from the investigating agency by the next hearing on Kejriwal's plea challenging a trial court's order taking cognisance of a charge-sheet in the case. Kejriwal had sought the High Court to set aside the trial court's order. The HC will next hear the case on December 20.

Kejriwal said the trial court took cognisance of ED's charge-sheet in the absence of any sanction for his prosecution as he was a public servant when the alleged offence was committed. However, appearing for ED, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said sanction was obtained to prosecute the former CM and he would file an affidavit.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader is facing probe by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation over alleged irregularities in the implementation of now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. He was released from Tihar prison in September after the Supreme Court granted him bail in both cases.

According to the CBI and the ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours were extended to the licence holders, PTI reported. The money laundering case stems from CBI's case over alleged irregularities in the excise policy.