Today, On 26th June, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal placed in CBI custody for three days. The decision was made by a Delhi court in relation to the excise policy case. During the hearing, Kejriwal asserted his and other AAP leaders’ innocence, refuting claims that he blamed Manish Sisodia. The court acknowledged Kejriwal’s statement, agreeing that he did not make the remarks attributed to him by the CBI.
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday remanded Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody for three days in connection with the excise policy case.
Judge Amitabh Rawat of the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court issued the order after extensive hearings from both the CBI and Kejriwal.
During today’s hearing, Arvind Kejriwal addressed the court in person, asserting the innocence of himself and other AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia, who have been implicated in the case.
He refuted the CBI’s allegation that he had shifted the entire blame onto Manish Sisodia.
Kejriwal stated,
“I have never stated that Manish Sisodia is guilty. Manish Sisodia is innocent, AAP is innocent, and I am innocent. Their plan is to tarnish our reputation in the media. The CBI has activated its ‘sources’ to spread false claims. All their accusations are baseless,”
He accused the CBI of attempting to manipulate media headlines to suggest that he had blamed Sisodia entirely.
The court concurred with Kejriwal, stating that he had not made the remarks attributed to him by the CBI.
The judge remarked orally,
“I have read your statement. You did not say what the CBI has claimed about Sisodia,”
A Delhi court earlier today reserved its verdict on the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) plea seeking a five-day remand of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case. The court is expected to pronounce its order around 4:30 pm today.
Addressing the court in person, Kejriwal asserted,
“Maine aisa koi bayan nahi diya ki Sisodia doshi hai. Maine ye bayaaan diya hai ki AAP, Sisodia, mai nirdosh hun.” (I have never given any statement saying that Manish Sisodia is guilty. I have given a statement that the Aam Aadmi Party, Manish Sisodia, and I (Kejriwal) are not guilty.)
Earlier today, a Rouse Avenue court allowed the CBI to formally arrest Kejriwal in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. The arrest followed an order passed by Special Judge Amitabh Rawat. The CBI is seeking a five-day custody of the chief minister.
Reacting to these developments, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) orchestrated Kejriwal’s arrest in a “fake case” due to fears that he might secure bail from the Supreme Court in a money laundering case.
In a post on X, the AAP stated,
“The dictator crossed all limits of cruelty!! Today when there was every possibility of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal getting bail, the BJP went into panic mode and got Kejriwal arrested by the CBI in a fake case.”
AAP added,
“The CBI took Kejriwal ji to Rouse Avenue Court where his blood sugar level dropped very low. Dictator, no matter how much oppression you inflict, Kejriwal will neither bow down nor break,”
Kejriwal’s lawyer, Vikram Chaudhari, criticized the remand application as “totally vague,” calling it a classic case of abuse of power. He emphasized the need to apply the principles of Arnesh Kumar and Satinder Kumar Antil “in letter and spirit” in this case. Chaudhari further argued that although Kejriwal’s name appeared in nearly every chargesheet, the CBI maintained an “eerie silence.” He suggested that the timing of Kejriwal’s arrest indicated its illegality.
Chaudhari asserted that Kejriwal’s arrest violated Section 41 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), calling it the “biggest abuse of process of law.” He described the arrest and remand request as “unscrupulous.”
Reiterating Kejriwal’s innocence, he quoted the chief minister:
“I have never given any statement saying that Manish Sisodia is guilty. Sisodia is innocent, Aam Aadmi Party is innocent, I am innocent. This is their plan to defame us.”
In response, the CBI defended its actions.
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The CBI’s counsel said,
“Where is the issue that we are arresting now? It’s because we were doing our exercise, in the two years the role and his lies have come in past. It’s not IOs decision to arrest, it has to go to the director level, it’s the agency’s call and not the IO’s,”
Addressing the media speculation, the counsel added,
“Hum media k liye sources nahi hai. It shouldn’t come like that.”
The court, acknowledging the situation with a touch of humour, remarked,
“Aap itni jaldi source nahi banege” (You won’t become a source so quickly).