Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has approached the Delhi High Court, challenging his arrest in the Excise Case and the order passed by the trial court on March 22, 2024, remanding him to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) till March 28.
The AAP national convenor argued that his arrest and remand order were both unlawful. He has demanded an urgent hearing from the acting chief judge of the high court by Sunday, arguing that he is entitled for release right away.
In relation to the excise policy issue, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal was placed under 6-day Enforcement Directorate (ED) detention on Friday and will remain there until March 28. After hours of interrogation, he was taken into custody by the ED on Thursday night from his home.
The CM had asked AAP members to carry on their work for society and not hate anyone, including members of the BJP, which his party believes has mishandled agencies and targeted opposition figures like him, in a message earlier on Saturday that was read out by his wife Sunita Kejriwal.
"There are several forces within and outside India that are weakening the country. There is no jail that can keep me behind bars for long. I will come out soon and keep my promises," he said in the message.
On Friday, Sunita took to her X handle and condemned Kejriwal's arrest by ED. She wrote a post in Hindi against the Prime Minister and said that the arrest was an act showcasing arrogance of power.
The Enforcement Directorate had demanded Kejriwal's custody, alleging that he was the "kingpin" and a major conspirator in the purported scheme, and that he had accepted bribes in return for favors.
On Saturday, senior AAP leader and minister Atishi alleged that the money trail was found in the BJP's account and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ED to 'arrest' BJP national president JP Nadda.
Addressing a press conference here, Atishi asserted that, till date, no money trail has been found connected to any AAP leader. "In the so-called excise policy scam of Delhi, CBI and ED investigations have been going on for the past two years. In these two years, a question has come up again and again Where is the money trail? Where did the money go? No proceeds of crime were recovered from any leader, minister or worker of AAP," Atishi said.
The MEA summoned George Enzweiler, the German Embassy's deputy head of mission, today to formally protest. The statements made by the spokesperson for the German foreign ministry were described as "blatant interference in India's internal matters" by the External Affairs Ministry.
THE CASE: The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped. In its arguments before the court, the ED alleged that the CM of Delhi is the key conspirator and kingpin in demanding kickbacks from businessmen. The agency further claimed that Kejriwal was directly involved in the formation of the Excise policy.
The ED counsel claimed that Vijay Nair, who was the media in charge of AAP, was working for Delhi CM Kejriwal. Nair, who the agency said lives adjacent to the residence of Kejriwal, acted as a middleman between the AAP and the South group. The ED further claimed that the proceeds of crime are not only Rs 100 crore but profits made by bribe givers were also proceeds of crime. The agency alleged that it had traced Hawala trails of Rs 45 crore that were used in the Goa Election.
The AAP has refuted all of the allegations and called the arrest of Mr. Kejriwal an election-related plot by the BJP. Retaliating, the BJP claimed that the party utilized the bribes to finance its electoral efforts.
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