Excise policy scam: HC asks ED to respond to Kejriwal’s plea challenging summons on complaint
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response of the Enforcement Directorate on a plea by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal challenging summons issued to him on the agency’s complaint in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri refused to stay the trial in the criminal case and said the trial court’s order, which has been challenged by Kejriwal, is two months old and not a fresh order.
The high court issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the petition which has challenged the summons issued to the former chief minister of Delhi on the complaint filed by the agency in the case.
Kejrwal’s counsel questioned the maintainability of the complaint on the grounds that while summons were issued by one officer, the complaint was filed by another officer.
The former Delhi chief minister has challenged a sessions court’s September 17 order which had dismissed his plea challenging the summons.
During the hearing, the ED’s counsel raised a preliminary objection on the maintainability of the petition.
He contended that Kejriwal's plea was a second revision petition which has been filed under the garb of Section 482 of CrPC and the same was barred in law.
He argued that the grounds raised in this petition were identical to the one filed before the trial court.
Kejriwal’s lawyer contended that when summonses were issued to the AAP leader by one ED officer of assistant director rank, the complaint could not have been filed by another ED officer of the same rank.
The lawyer said the officer, who had signed the summonses was available but still the complaint was filed in the court by another officer.
“He (Kejriwal) has served the period for which they (ED) can punish him. Three summons were issued by one Joginder Singh who is assistant director of ED. But the complaint was filed by another assistant director (Sandeep Sharma)…. The challenge is with respect to whether he could have filed the complaint,” Kejriwal’s counsel said.
The high court listed the matter for further hearing on December 19.
Kejriwal had moved the sessions court against an order passed by a magisterial court directing him to appear before it on the ED's complaint.
He had challenged the summons issued by the magisterial court after taking cognisance of two complaints filed by the ED over avoidance of summons issued to him.
The ED had filed complaints before the magisterial court seeking prosecution of Kejriwal for skipping multiple summonses issued to him in the case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.
Kejriwal was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on July 12 in the money laundering case. He was released on bail by the apex court in the CBI case on September 13.
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Kohli's U-19 teammate Amanpreet Singh Gill dies at 36
New Delhi (PTI): Former India U-19 and Punjab medium pacer Amanpreet Singh Gill died at the age of 36 in Chandigarh on Wednesday, leaving the cricket fraternity in mourning.
The cause of death is not yet known.
Gill, who was Virat Kohli's U-19 teammate, featured in six first-class matches for Punjab, picking up 11 wickets.
He was also part of the Punjab franchise (Kings XI Punjab) in the inaugural Indian Premier League season, and later served as a member of Punjab's senior selection committee.
"Punjab Cricket Association deeply mourns the sad demise of Amanpreet Singh Gill, former Punjab cricketer and Member, Senior Selection Committee Punjab,” the Punjab Cricket Association announced on X.
"Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and loved ones. May Waheguru grant eternal peace to the departed soul and strength to the family in this difficult time."
Two-time World Cup-winning India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh also paid tribute to Gill.
"Deeply saddened to hear about Amanpreet Singh Gill’s passing. Shared the dressing room in our early days, he was a quiet, hardworking cricketer who loved the game. My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace Om Shanti,” Singh posted on X.
Gill played five Youth ODIs and one Youth Test for India in 2007.
In the longer format, he claimed the wicket of former Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera.
However, he did not make the Virat Kohli-led India U-19 side that went on to win the 2008 World Cup.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Amanpreet Singh Shergill, who proudly represented Punjab and was a part of the Punjab Kings family. Our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the entire cricketing fraternity,” Punjab Kings posted on their official Instagram account.
