In a significant turn of events, a Delhi court has remanded Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) until March 28, following his arrest in connection related to the excise policy linked with a money laundering case. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja at the Rouse Avenue court announced that Kejriwal would be presented before the court on March 28 at 2 pm, as per the ED’s request for a 10-day custody.
During the proceedings, the ED labeled Kejriwal as the kingpin and a key conspirator in the Delhi liquor scam, allegedly operating in collusion with his ministers and AAP leaders. The agency accused Kejriwal of exploiting his position as Delhi’s chief minister to facilitate money laundering activities benefiting the AAP.
According to the ED’s remand papers, Kejriwal was allegedly involved in formulating the excise policy of 2021-22 to favor certain individuals and demanding kickbacks from liquor businessmen in exchange for policy favors. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, asserted that Kejriwal acted as a middleman between the ‘South group’ and the accused in the liquor scam, purportedly receiving significant kickbacks for his role.
The ED claimed that ahead of the Punjab elections, Kejriwal demanded Rs 100 crore from some individuals associated with the South group. Furthermore, the agency alleged that Vijay Nair, the media in charge of AAP, acted as a middleman between Kejriwal and the South group.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, opposed the remand plea, arguing that the agency failed to demonstrate the necessity for arrest. Singhvi emphasized that this was the first time in the country’s 75-year history that a sitting chief minister and four leaders of his party were arrested, likening the situation to determining the outcome of an election before a single vote was cast.
The case underscores the intensifying legal and political confrontation between Kejriwal and the authorities, with the ED asserting serious allegations against the Delhi CM and AAP leaders, while Kejriwal’s defense contends that his arrest lacks justification.
