synopsis

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to appear before the Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday on the complaint of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for skippping repeated summons for questioning in the Delhi excise policy case. A day earlier, Kejriwal moved a motion of confidence, in the Assembly, alleging a conspiracy to destabilise his government. 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is set to deal with a demanding legal schedule at Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Saturday, with cases involving four prominent leaders, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal listed for hearing. Three leaders -- Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Sanjay Singh -- may appear before the court physically in the excise policy case, while Satyendar Jain, accused in a disproportionate assets case, is likely to appear virtually. 

Arvind Kejriwal is expected to explain why he had skipped the five earlier summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the liquor policy case.

The Rouse Avenue Court had summoned Kejriwal for February 17 after the Delhi Chief Minister skipped multiple summonses issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy case. The court noted that the AAP chief was "legally bound" to comply with the summons.

Kejriwal's move also comes ahead of the ED's sixth summons to appear before it on February 19. Kejriwal, who moved the resolution for a vote of confidence in the Assembly on Friday, said that two AAP MLAs had contacted them with BJP members threatening to arrest the chief minister of Delhi shortly.

"The AAP has decided to let go of 21 legislators, and others are in contact with the BJP, the MLAs were informed. To join the BJP, they gave the MLAs Rs 25 crore. I was informed by the MLAs that they declined. We discovered that seven MLAs, not 21, had been approached when we spoke with other MLAs. They were attempting to conduct another Operation Lotu," he added.