New Delhi:

The Delhi High Court today declined to give protection from arrest to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case.

The court, however, ordered the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to reply to Mr Kejriwal’s fresh petition and listed the matter to April 22.

“We have heard both sides, and we are not inclined at this stage (to grant protection). The respondent is at liberty to file a reply,” a Bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain listed said.

Mr Kejriwal’s request for protection from arrest forms part of his petition challenging the ED summons to him for questioning over alleged money laundering while framing the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy case.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief filed the petition against the ED’s ninth summons to him. His lawyer today asked the high court to give a direction to defer the summons issued today.

“It is already over. Time is over. He is not attending,” Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, said.

Mr Kejriwal has repeatedly refused to appear before the ED, calling the summons by the central agency illegal.

AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in the Delhi liquor policy case.

Mr Kejriwal’s name has been mentioned multiple times in chargesheets filed by the ED. The agency has alleged the other accused were in touch with Mr Kejriwal for framing the excise policy that allegedly resulted in undue benefits to them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the AAP.