2 min readNew DelhiMar 30, 2026 08:23 PM ISTOn January 22, a Delhi trial court had acquitted Kejriwal of the charge of disobeying a public servant’s order for skipping six ED summons. (File image)The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved the Delhi High Court, challenging the acquittal of AAP convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by a trial court in January for skipping summons by the agency during the probe into the alleged liquor policy scam.The ED had filed two criminal cases against Kejriwal – in February and March 2024 – under IPC Section 174 (non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant). Provisions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) provide ED with powers of launching criminal proceedings under IPC Section 174 for intentionally disobeying summons.ED has now filed two petitions against Kejriwal’s acquittal, in relation to the two criminal cases it had registered, for skipping the summons. The cases are due to be heard on Wednesday by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.On January 22, a Delhi trial court had acquitted Kejriwal of the charge of disobeying a public servant’s order for skipping six ED summons.The trial court, in two orders — one dealing with three summons issued in 2023 and another with three summons in 2024, all served via email — had ruled that “mere non-appearance (following the summons) is not intentional disobedience”, and observed that the ED had failed to prove the emails through which the summons had been sent, and that such a mode of service was not envisaged under the CrPC or the PMLA, with CrPC provisions mandating physical service of summons.Kejriwal, while skipping the ED summons, had cited various elections, including those to state Assemblies and Rajya Sabha, and his obligation to perform his duties as the chief minister.Notably, on January 22, the trial court had also acquitted AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan of a similar charge levelled by ED for skipping three summons in connection with the probe into an alleged case of money laundering, relating to “irregularities” in Delhi Waqf Board appointments, and discharged him in another case over three other summons. The ED, however, has not challenged this in the high court yet.Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Mar 30: Latest NewsIPL 2026: Why can’t Cameron Green bowl yet? 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