Arvind Kejriwal in Enforcement Directorate custody till March 28 in liquor policy case

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Mar 23, 2024: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been sent to 6-day Enforcement Directorate custody by the Rouse Avenue Court in connection with the now-scrapped liquor policy-linked money laundering case.

 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo will remain in probe agency custody till March 28 (Thursday). He will be produced before the court at 2 pm on March 28.

Kejriwal was produced in the trial court shortly after he withdrew from the Supreme Court his plea against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy case on Thursday evening.

During the remand hearing, the federal probe agency alleged that Kejriwal received several crores of rupees as kickbacks from the ’South group’ for formulating and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

"He demanded Rs 100 crore from some accused from the ’South group’ for contesting the Goa elections," Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, who is appearing for the agency, told the Rouse Avenue Court.

Raju also claimed that the money trail showed that Rs 45 crore ’kickback’ used in the Goa elections came from four hawala routes.

Meanwhile, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Arvind Kejriwal, opposed the remand plea and contended that the probe agency needs to show the necessity to arrest the Delhi Chief Minister. Singhvi also argued that the power of arrest and necessity of arrest are two different things.

The senior lawyer also pointed out that in the history of 75 years of independence, this is the first time a sitting Chief Minister is arrested, this first time four leaders of his party are arrested. "It is like having the result before the first vote is cast," he added.

Courtesy: India Today