Breaking: Delhi Court Extends Arvind Kejriwal's Enforcement Directorate Custody By 4 Days
|A Delhi Court has extended Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal's Directorate of Enforcement (ED) remand by 4 days in a money laundering case related to the Delhi Excise policy scam.
The ED had sought 7-day custody of Kejriwal. The CM will remain in ED custody till April 1
Kejriwal was produced before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja at Rouse Avenue Court today on the expiration of his 6-day ED remand.
During the hearing before the Trial Court, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju and Special Public Prosecutor Zoheb Hossain appeared for ED, and Senior Advocate Ramesh Gupta appeared for Kejriwal.
The ASG submitted that Kejriwal's statement have been recorded, and he has given evasive replies. He submitted that Kejriwal is deliberately not cooperating with us. He further submitted that during custody, the CM refused to disclose his passwords, so we do not have access to digital data. Raju contended that apart from Kejriwal's personal involvement as the AAP convenor, the money was used in the AAP Goa campaign, and there are many statements regarding this.
ASG Raju sought another 7 day custody of Kejriwal for interrogation and to confront him with some other people.
The CM made submissions in Hindi after taking permission from the Court despite his Lawyers being present. Kejriwal said a smokescreen of the AAP being corrupt has been created before the nation, and he added that he is ready to face the ED probe.
AAP Ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai, and Saurabh Bharadwaj, along with the Chief Minister's wife, Sunita Kejriwal, were also present in the Court.
Pertinently, on March 27, the Delhi High Court scheduled Kejriwal's plea against arrest for a final hearing on April 3. The Court did not grant any interim relief to the Chief Minister of Delhi. The High Court had directed the ED to file its reply in the interim Application as well as the main Writ Petition by April 2. It had also clarified that no adjournment shall be granted on the date of final hearing, i.e. April 3.
The AAP had first moved the Apex Court on Thursday (March 21) late in the evening after the ED arrested Kejriwal. The agency took him to its headquarters in Central Delhi. The Delhi CM's legal team attempted to get a late night hearing from the Supreme Court. However, no special Supreme Court Bench was set up on Thursday night to hear the CM's plea challenging his Arrest.
The Arrest of the first sitting Chief Minister came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the agency.
Cause Title: Directorate of Enforcement v. Arvind Kejriwal