New Delhi: Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Monday has sent Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till April 15 in connection with the money-laundering case linked to the alleged liquor excise policy scam. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) produced Kejriwal before the Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court as his custodial remand ended on Monday. The ED informed the court that Kejriwal was “uncooperative” during questioning in their custody.
Last week on Thursday, the court extended his custodial remand till April 1 in connection with the money-laundering case linked to the alleged liquor excise policy scam.
In Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court, where Kejriwal was produced this morning before the expiry of his probe agency custody, the ED said Kejriwal had been uncooperative and was giving evasive answers.
Earlier, while appearing in the court on Thursday, the AAP leader made a submission where he said that in the 31,000 page document prepared by the ED, there is no concrete proof or allegations against him on the basis of which he has been arrested. He further alleged that a ‘smokescreen’ of AAP is being corrupt created in front of the nation.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Arvind Kejriwal on March 21 after his name was mentioned multiple times in the chargesheets relating to the excise policy case. The AAP national convenor is accused of soliciting kickbacks from liquor traders in exchange for favours. The ED has also accused him of being the “kingpin and key conspirator” in the now-scrapped policy.
The agency has already arrested several AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, in connection with the case, and the federal agency has approached court seeking permission to investigate AAP as a beneficiary of the “proceeds of crime”.
On his part, Kejriwal has denied the charges and accused the BJP-led Centre of “manipulating investigative agencies for political motives”.
The court has also allowed him to meet his wife Sunita Kejriwal and Ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj before he is shifted to the Tihar Jail.
The excise policy was introduced to bring an overhaul to the liquor business in Delhi but was scrapped after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered a probe into the alleged irregularities in the policy.
The ED believes the policy provided a high profit margin and bribe money was allegedly used to fund the AAP’s election campaigns.
