Court directs ED to supply charge sheet, documents to accused

New Delhi : A court here on Monday directed the ED to supply copies of the charge sheet and other documents to the accused in the alleged money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to carry out the exercise by November 13, when the matter would be heard next.

Delhi's former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leader Manish Sisodia, both currently out on bail, appeared before the court through video conferencing.

The judge was told by some of the defence counsel that they had not received soft copies of the charge sheet and other related documents.

The judge also noted the ED's submission that it needed "some more time" to supply the copy of digitised record/soft copies of remaining documents/devices to the accused.

The excise case pertains to charges of alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was scrapped subsequently.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena had recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged irregularities. Subsequently, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Taking cognisance of an FIR lodged by the CBI on August 17, 2022, the ED filed its money laundering case on August 22, 2022, to probe the alleged irregularities. Kejriwal, who was arrested in connection with the case, was on September 12 granted bail by the Supreme Court.