Informist, Monday, Jul 1, 2024

NEW DELHI – Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today moved the Delhi High Court against his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Delhi liquor policy case and a Rouse Avenue Court order to send him to the probe agency's remand for three days. On Saturday, the Rouse Avenue Court had sent Kejriwal to judicial custody till Jul 12 after his three-day CBI custody ended.

On Wednesday, the probe agency arrested Kejriwal after the Delhi court permitted the agency to interrogate him in the excise policy case. The CBI registered a case in the matter in July 2022 following a complaint by Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena. Thereafter, on the same day, the CBI prayed for the custodial interrogation of Kejriwal to probe the irregularities in the now-scrapped excise policy. The agency submitted that Kejriwal pushed the entire onus on former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and said he had no idea about the excise policy. "We need to confront him with documents that we have," the counsel appearing for the agency submitted.

During the hearing, Kejriwal addressed the court in person and submitted that he, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, and the Aam Aadmi party were innocent. Kejriwal also refuted the agency's claim that he had put the entire blame for the excise policy case on Manish Sisodia.

"I have never testified that Manish Sisodia is guilty. He is innocent, AAP is innocent, and I'm innocent. They want to malign us," Kejriwal said. Thereafter, the court sent him to a three-day probe agency's remand. On Saturday, the agency sought 14 days judicial custody for Kejriwal, saying it was required "in the interest of the investigation and justice". The court allowed the CBI's plea and said, "I find that there exist sufficient grounds for remanding the accused to judicial custody".

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Mar 21. He was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10 to allow him to campaign for the party's candidates in the General Election. On Jun 2, Kejriwal returned to judicial custody, which was extended till Jul 3 in the money laundering case. Both the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI are investigating the now-scrapped liquor policy. While the Enforcement Directorate is investigating the money laundering aspect of the case, the CBI is looking at the irregularities in the entire case.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court had permitted Kejriwal to withdraw his petition against the Jun 21 interim order of the Delhi High Court which stayed his release on the bail granted by the Rouse Avenue Court. The apex court granted Kejriwal liberty to file a fresh plea against the final order of the high court staying his bail. The Rouse Avenue Court had earlier granted Kejriwal bail in the liquor policy case. The Enforcement Directorate had challenged the bail order in the high court and sought a stay.

The Delhi government announced a new excise policy in November 2021, allowing private companies to distribute liquor in the national capital. The policy was withdrawn after allegations of cartelisation and monopoly. The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party took money from a liquor lobby in south India to announce the new policy. It also claimed that the party was a major beneficiary of the proceeds and the chief minister was "a key conspirator".

On May 17, the Supreme Court reserved its order on a petition by Kejriwal, challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. The court said Kejriwal was at liberty to move the trial court if he wanted to apply for bail in the meantime. The probe agency also arrested AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh in the same case. While Sisodia is in judicial custody, the Supreme Court granted Sanjay Singh bail on Apr 2, pending trial.

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Vidhi Verma

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