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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was allowed four more days of custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by a Special Court after his March 21 late-night arrest in the excise money laundering case. Rouse Avenue court Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who did not agree to the ED’s plea of seven more days of custody, will hear the case on April 1.
In its remand application, the ED said Kejriwal’s statements were recorded on five days during the custodial interrogation, but he was “giving evasive replies”. The agency also apprised Special Judge Baweja that he is not sharing passwords of his online accounts, taking a plea that he would do so if his lawyers agree to that.
HC’s move
Kejriwal simultaneously moved to the Delhi High Court again to challenge his arrest by the ED which he said impinged on his fundamental rights. The Delhi High Court, however, declined to give immediate relief to him and instead posted the matter for April 3. The High Court on an earlier occasion too had denied bail to the AAP leader, forcing him to move the trial court of Special Judge Baweja.
Meanwhile, Delhi High Court acting Chief Justice Manmohan dismissed a PIL seeking Kejriwal’s removal from the post of Delhi CM because the issue fell outside the scope of judicial interference.
During the hearing on the bail application, Kejriwal was given permission by the Special Court to present his case directly. Kejriwal said that no part of the alleged ₹100 crore in bribes has been recovered so far. “I was arrested... but no court has proved me guilty. The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) has filed 31,000 pages (of chargesheet) and the ED filed 25,000 pages. Even if you read them together... the question remains... why have I been arrested?” Delhi Chief Minister asked the court.
He also brought to the notice of the court that there were only four statements the agency is relying on against him, including of C Arvind who is former personal secretary of ex-Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. C Arvind, Kejriwal said, claimed that “he gave some documents to Manish Sisodia in my presence”.
Countering that, the AAP convenor stated, “Several bureaucrats and MLAs came regularly to my home. Are these four statements made by different people sufficient to arrest a sitting Chief Minister?”
Referring to statements of C Arvind, Raghav Magunta and his father Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, a YSR Congress Party Lok Sabha MP and Aurobindo Pharma’s P Sharath Reddy, Kejriwal talked about electoral bonds and accused the BJP of getting money in the excise scam. Kejriwal also charged that “accused are being turned into approvers” in the case and persons coerced to change their statements.
Kejriwal told the court that he is ready to be in custody and will fully cooperate in the investigation, his lawyer Ramesh Gupta said. The Delhi CM used Delhi High Court Judge Sanjiv Khanna’s earlier observation that the money trail is still to be traced, to question the ED’s move to arrest him.
“The real liquor scam begins post the ED investigation. The motive of the ED is to crush the Aam Aadmi Party,” claimed Kejriwal.
Statements of three other persons have also been recorded during the remand, the agency informed to seek more custody of Delhi CM.
In the ED custody period following his arrest, C Arvind was confronted with Delhi CM, the agency stated. C Arvind had handed over a draft report of the GoM, headed by Sisodia, on the Delhi excise policy at the residence of Kejriwal and in his presence,
It also recorded a statement of one of the AAP candidates for Goa assembly elections in 2022 who revealed that his entire election expenditure including for rallies, events and public hoardings, was taken care of by his party office in Delhi through their associates.
Kejriwal’s wife Sunita and their two children along with Delhi Minister Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Gopal Rai were present in the courtroom.
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