A Delhi Court on Monday sent chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till April 15 in the excise policy scam case. The Enforcement Directorate produced the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo before special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja.
During the hearing at the Rouse Avenue Court, Additional solicitor general SV Raju noted that the federal agency is not seeking any further custody of the Delhi chief minister. Rather, the ASG said that, “we’re asking for judicial custody”.
AAP ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal were present in the court.
He cited former Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji’s case and said, “Kindly look at the Senthil Balaji case where custody can be sought later than 15 days… Therefore, he shall, at this stage, be sent to judicial custody.”
“Kindly look at why we can seek custody later. It is because he is evasive and non-cooperative and is diverting the investigation,” ASG Raju told the court.
The anti-corruption agency informed the court that in his statement, Kejriwal said that “Vijay did not report to me but to Atishi”.
“He doesn’t even know who is at his camp office… he was shown different WhatsApp chat…he has not answered the question,” the ED said, adding that he also did not provide the “password of his digital devices deliberately.”
Following this, the federal agency sought 15 days of judicial custody for the Delhi chief minister and the same was granted by the court.
The Aam Aadmi Party national convenor has requested to carry three books — Bhagwat Gita, Ramayan and How PM Decides by Nirja Chaudhary — to prison.
The Delhi CM was be produced before the court on Monday as his custody with the ED — extended by the court till April 1 on March 28 — ended today.
TIHAR JAIL PREPARES TO LODGE DELHI CM
Delhi’s Tihar jail has begun gearing up to lodge chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. The jail administration, over the last four days, held at least two high level meetings. The jail superintendent held a high-level meeting on Monday as well.
Tihar authorities have sanitized jail number five. Kejriwal will be taken to Tihar on Monday evening.
DELHI HC ASKS ED TO SUBMIT SPECIAL NOTE
The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Enforcement Directorate to submit its note the special judge on the issue of the chief minister passing orders while in custody.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora said the special judge, dealing with the money laundering case in which Kejriwal has been arrested, is directed to pass an order — if required — in accordance with the law, PTI reported.
The court dismissed the public interest litigation (PIL) which sought directions to prevent Kejriwal from issuing orders as a chief minister while being in the federal agency’s custody.
YOUR KEJRIWAL IS A LION, SAYS SUNITA KEJRIWAL
Kejriwal’s judicial custody comes a day after the INDIA bloc’s ‘Maha Rally’ at the national capital’s Ramlila Maidan.
The CM’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, took the centre stage and read out a message sent by the AAP chief from the ED custody.
But before reading the message, Sunita said, “Do you believe that Kejriwal Ji is a true patriot and honest person? These BJP people are saying that Kejriwal ji is in jail, he should resign. Should he resign? Your Kejriwal is a lion, they will not be able to keep him in jail for long.”
Reading her husband’s message, she said, “I’m not asking you to make someone win or lose. I’m seeking support to make a new India.”
She had also listed Kejriwal’s six guarantees ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The federal agency arrested the Delhi CM on March 21 in the excise policy scam. He faces allegations of direct involvement in a conspiracy related to the formulation of excise policy favouring specific individuals.
He is also accused of soliciting kickbacks from liquor businessmen in exchange for favours, as claimed by the probe agency.
(with PTI inputs)
Comments
0 comment