On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) approached Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court to seek an extension of judicial custody for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in relation to the money laundering case connected to the now-scrapped Delhi liquor excise policy.
Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED on March 21, 2024, as part of their investigation into the Delhi excise policy, was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10, 2024. However, the top court imposed restrictions on Kejriwal, prohibiting him from visiting the Office of the Chief Minister and the Delhi Secretariat. He is required to surrender and return to jail on June 2, a day after the final phase of polling in the general elections.
The ED informed the court that Kejriwal is currently on interim bail and is scheduled to surrender on June 2. The court has kept the application pending, and it is likely to be addressed on the same date.
In a significant development on Friday, the ED filed its latest chargesheet, naming Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as accused in the excise policy probe. According to an official, the chargesheet contains “irrefutable evidence” demonstrating that “Kejriwal is the key conspirator who used his position as the CM of Delhi to facilitate the offence of money laundering punishable under Section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the ‘company’, i.e., AAP.”
The ED has previously argued that AAP, being a political party, qualifies as an association or body of individual citizens of India under the Representation of the People Act. Consequently, it can be categorized as a “company” under Section 70 of the PMLA.
Additionally, the court extended the judicial custody of BRS Leader K. Kavitha in a parallel case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) until June 3.
The excise policy case involves allegations of corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was subsequently scrapped.
The ED’s move to extend Kejriwal’s judicial custody underscores the ongoing scrutiny and legal challenges faced by the Delhi Chief Minister and his party. As the case progresses, the court’s decision on June 2 will be closely watched, potentially impacting the political landscape in the midst of the general elections.
Sources By Agencies
