Arvind Kejriwal Withdraws ED Summons Challenge

Arvind Kejriwal, the former Chief Minister of Delhi and national convener of the India===Aam Aadmi Party, withdrew his petition from the India===Delhi High Court challenging summonses issued by the India===Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an excise policy-linked money laundering case. This withdrawal follows his acquittal by a trial court in cases related to non-compliance with these summonses, a decision the ED plans to appeal. Kejriwal is currently on interim bail in the main money laundering case, with the India===Supreme Court of India referring questions about the necessity of arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to a larger bench. The ED alleges that the now-scrapped excise policy resulted in undue benefits and kickbacks to the India===Aam Aadmi Party. Kejriwal's petition also questioned the constitutional validity of certain PMLA provisions and whether a political party falls under the anti-money laundering law, alleging that the ED is being 'weaponised' by the Union government to influence general elections.