Today(on 28th March),Delhi court extends Arvind Kejriwal’s custody until April 1 amid money laundering probe tied to Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. Kejriwal, Delhi’s Chief Minister, was arrested on March 21 over alleged involvement in financial irregularities related to the policy.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
NEW DELHI: Today(on 28th March), Delhi court has decided to extend the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody of Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, until April 1. This decision follows investigations into money laundering allegations related to the Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja issued the order extending Kejriwal’s detention under the supervision of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This decision comes after Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21, a significant event in Indian politics as he became the first sitting Chief Minister to be arrested while in office. The arrest was based on allegations that Kejriwal was the “key conspirator” in the alleged financial irregularities associated with the scrapped excise policy framework.
Before Kejriwal’s arrest, his plea for interim protection from arrest was dismissed by the Delhi High Court, resulting in his immediate detention by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Initially held in ED custody for a week, the agency sought an extension, citing Kejriwal’s non-cooperative behavior during the investigation. Despite the ED’s request for a seven-day extension, the court granted only four additional days.
ALSO READ: #BREAKING Delhi HC Dismisses PIL to Remove Arvind Kejriwal From CM Position Amid ED Arrest
In the courtroom, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, engaged in vigorous exchanges. Raju criticized Kejriwal for providing evasive responses and refusing to disclose vital information, including specific passwords and income tax returns. He emphasized the allegation that laundered funds had been directed into the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) campaign in Goa, depicting a systematic effort to misuse public funds for political purposes.
Kejriwal, in his defense, personally appealed to the court, contesting the grounds of his arrest, which he claimed were based on “limited evidence” and coerced testimonies from other accused individuals.
He declared-
“I am not opposing the ED’s custody. They can keep me in custody for as long as they want. But this is a scam,” expressing his readiness to stay in custody while refuting the allegations as fraudulent(“Ham ED ki remand oppose nahi kar rahe. Jitne din chaahe wo mujhe custody m rakh le. Par ye ghotala hai,”)
ALSO READ: BREAKING|| ED to Present Arvind Kejriwal Before Delhi Court Today At 2PM
