Court Reserves Order on ED’s Custody Plea for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

The Rouse Avenue Court on Friday deferred its decision on the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) request for a 10-day custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The ED had apprehended him a day earlier in connection with the purported Delhi liquor scam case and presented him before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja.

Representing the Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared before the court, while Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju and Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain represented the central probe agency.

During the court proceedings, the ED asserted that Kejriwal played a pivotal role as the main instigator and orchestrator in soliciting kickbacks from entrepreneurs. The agency also alleged Kejriwal’s direct involvement in formulating the now annulled Excise policy.

The ED’s counsel claimed that Vijay Nair, the media handler for AAP, acted as a liaison between Kejriwal and the ‘South Group,’ residing in close proximity to Kejriwal’s residence.

Furthermore, the ED contended that not only were the proceeds of crime estimated at Rs 100 crore but also the profits gained by bribe givers were considered illicit. The agency claimed to have traced hawala transactions totaling Rs 45 crore utilized during Goa Elections.

ASG SV Raju argued that AAP, as an entity, benefited from the alleged scam and emphasized Kejriwal’s role in the matter. He asserted that besides individual liability, the CM bore vicarious responsibility.

Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, opposed the custody plea, stressing the necessity for arrest. He argued against the arbitrary nature of the arrest and highlighted discrepancies in the agency’s actions.

Kejriwal’s counsel emphasized the absence of direct evidence against him and condemned the arrest as illegal and arbitrary. They urged the court to scrutinize the remand plea judiciously.

Following the arguments, the court deferred its decision, acknowledging the significance of the case and its implications for democracy.

Kejriwal’s arrest came after the Delhi High Court declined interim protection to him in the excise policy case. The case involves alleged irregularities and money laundering associated with the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy in 2022, subsequently annulled.

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