Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, showed up in court on Saturday for a case involving summonses from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He received bail from the Rouse Avenue Court in the national capital.

This was Kejriwal’s first physical appearance in court regarding this case. Previously, he attended hearings via video conferencing.

The Enforcement Directorate is seeking Kejriwal’s statement on policy formulation, pre-policy meetings, and allegations of bribery. However, Kejriwal has been avoiding the summonses, claiming they are illegal and politically driven.

Security was tightened outside the court for Kejriwal’s arrival. Despite his absence, the court refused to halt the summonses on Friday. Kejriwal argues that his absences were justified, and there was no intentional disobedience.

On February 17, Kejriwal attended virtually, and last week, he was summoned to appear in person on March 16. The court has scheduled further arguments for April 1.

In a separate case related to the Delhi excise policy, six charge sheets have been filed. The ED alleges that kickbacks worth ₹45 crore from the policy were used in the AAP’s election campaign in Goa. AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Manish Sisodia are facing similar charges.

The AAP claims that the Centre wants Kejriwal arrested to prevent him from campaigning in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.