Arvind Kejriwal’s custody extended by 4 days in Delhi liquor policy case

New Delhi:

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is jailed on corruption charges in the liquor policy scam, has been sent to the Enforcement Directorate for four more days, i.e. till April 1.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested earlier this month after the Delhi High Court refused to intervene. Hours later, Education Department officials raided the home of the Aam Aadmi party leader and detained him. He petitioned the Supreme Court for relief but quickly withdrew his request. His legal team argued that the precedent was unfavorable to the Delhi chief minister. Mr Kejriwal was subsequently taken to the emergency room and detained for a week.

That detention period expires today.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal also moved the Delhi High Court against his arrest, saying the investigating agency was acting in a manner that violated his fundamental rights. The court declined to take immediate action and instead issued a notice to the Executive Directorate, requiring a response by April 2.

Read | High Court did not immediately release Kejriwal from custody

The Delhi High Court hearing will resume on April 3.

The court also dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking Mr Kejriwal’s removal as chief minister over his arrest. A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan declined to comment on the merits of the issue, saying it did not fall within the ambit of judicial intervention.

Earlier today, Mr Kejriwal was allowed to address the court directly. In a brief but impassioned speech, he accused investigative agencies of trying to “crack down” on his party.

He pointed out – as the AAP has done since his arrest – that no part of the alleged Rs 100-crore bribe had been recovered. He also said no court had found him guilty.

Read | ‘ED’s 2 tasks: Complete AAP and…’: Arvind Kejriwal in court

“I was arrested… but there was no court proof against me. The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) submitted 31,000 pages (chargesheet) and the ED submitted 25,000 pages. Even if you read them together… the problem remains. … …Why am I being arrested?” Mr Kejriwal asked the court.

What is Delhi Liquor Policy Scam?

The Enforcement Directorate believes that the now-repealed liquor policy provided high profit margins of 185% for retailers and 12% for wholesalers. Of this, 6% (over Rs 600 crore) was bribes and the money was allegedly used to fund AAP’s poll campaign.

The education ministry named the chief minister as a key co-conspirator in the case, but Mr Kejriwal and his party colleagues arrested in connection with the matter – former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, federal house member Sanjay Singh and former health minister Satyendar Jain – have both denied the claims. cost of.

NDTV Explained | Why the Enforcement Directorate arrested Arvind Kejriwal

The AAP and the opposition have slammed the BJP-led central government for using central agencies such as the Education Department to target rivals and critics ahead of the general elections. The AAP criticized Mr Kejriwal’s arrest on the grounds that it was timed to disrupt his plans to campaign for the party.

The BJP denies what the opposition describes as its use of central agencies.

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