A Delhi Court, presided by Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court, has extended the judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, until May 7. Kejriwal’s detention is linked to a money laundering case concerning the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
NEW DELHI: Today (23rd April): The Delhi High Court dismissed Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the central agency and upheld the subsequent remand orders, including the order for judicial custody. Furthermore, the court extended the judicial custody of Kejriwal, along with BRS leader K. Kavitha and Chanpreet Singh, until May 7 in the money laundering case related to the Delhi liquor excise policy 2021–22.
A Delhi Court has extended the judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, until May 7 in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The court’s decision was made by Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court. Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) drew attention as it marked the first time a sitting Chief Minister in India was put behind bars while still in office.
The ED’s investigation is based on a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22.
Background:
The ED’s money laundering probe originated from a complaint filed by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on July 20, 2022, leading to a case registered by the CBI on August 17, 2022. The allegations suggest that a criminal conspiracy was intitiated by AAP leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and other unidentified private individuals/entities during the policy’s formulation stage.
The alleged conspiracy involved intentionally creating or exploiting loopholes in the policy to favor specific licensees and conspirators after the tender process. As a result, several AAP leaders, including Sisodia and Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh, were arrested by the ED in connection with the case.
Following the rejection of Kejriwal’s plea for interim protection from arrest by the Delhi High Court, he was arrested by the ED on March 21. The next day, Kejriwal was produced before Judge Baweja, who initially remanded him to ED custody until March 28. The ED custody was subsequently extended, and on April 1, Kejriwal was remanded to judicial custody until April 15.
READ ALSO: Chronology of Delhi Excise Policy Case Involving Arvind Kejriwal
The recent court order further extends his judicial custody until May 7. Throughout this process, there have been multiple rounds of litigation before the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court, as well as remand hearings before the trial court at the Rouse Avenue Court complex in Delhi.
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