Today (April 3rd) during his plea for interim relief, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal informed the Delhi High Court that his apprehension in a money laundering case associated with the defunct Delhi liquor policy was intended to “destroy his party” ahead of the Lok Sabha elections
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NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in his petition for interim relief, told the Delhi High Court today, that his arrest was strategically carried out to weaken his political party-AAP ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The arrest, linked to allegations surrounding the Delhi liquor policy now rescinded, was contested for its timing and motive. Kejriwal’s legal representation, led by Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, criticized the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) handling of the case, especially the timing which coincided with the activation of the Model Code of Conduct.
Singhvi highlighted a lack of effort from the ED to record Kejriwal’s statement, even at his residence, questioning the underlying necessity and rationale of the arrest. He stated,
“No attempt made by ED to record my statement under Section 50 even at my residence. The important aspect is, the necessity, the rationale of arresting is apart from the fact, the necessity of arrest is of ulterior motive.”
The ED countered by describing Kejriwal as the central figure in the alleged liquor policy scam, asserting his involvement as a “kingpin” and a “key conspirator” in money laundering activities. The agency dismissed Kejriwal’s challenge to his arrest and custody as ineffective, suggesting that Kejriwal had forfeited his right to contest his arrest by not opposing his custody initially.
In response, Singhvi rebuffed the ED’s stance, stating,
“ED says because the accused said he is not opposing custody, his petition is infructuous. This is unheard of. I had argued that case one week ago. So, the accused is supposed to have given up?”
The backdrop to Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21 and his ongoing detention in Tihar jail involves allegations of corruption and money laundering in the development and execution of the Delhi government’s excise policy for the 2021-22 period.
The ED’s investigation purports that Kejriwal was instrumental in crafting the Excise Policy 2021-22, allegedly collaborating with other Delhi government ministers, AAP leaders, and various individuals to tailor the policy to benefit certain groups, notably the so-called South Group, in exchange for kickbacks.
Despite Kejriwal’s plea for interim release, labeling his arrest as unlawful, the ED maintained that his detention met all legal and constitutional protocols under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The court, on March 27, declined Kejriwal’s request for interim relief, citing the complexity of the issues involved which necessitated a detailed examination and the ED’s response to the allegations against the arrest and custody procedures.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice to the ED on Kejriwal’s petition challenging his arrest on March 21 and subsequent remand to the agency on March 22 till March 28. The judge posted the case for hearing on April 3, stating that she would necessarily have to decide the issues raised in the main petition to reach a conclusion as to whether the AAP chief was entitled to immediate release or not.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Arvind Kejriwal
Click Here to Read Previous Reports of Delhi Excise Policy Scam
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