CM excise scam mastermind Arvind Kejriwal’s 6-day detention to ED, he claims

A Delhi court on Friday placed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal under the six-day detention of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case involving the purported excise policy scam.

Kejriwal was brought before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja this afternoon after being arrested by the ED last night. She then ordered him to the ED’s custody till March 28 for questioning. He had already been denied protection from coercive action by the Delhi High Court.

Nine ED summonses asking him to respond to inquiries on purported irregularities in the creation and implementation of the Delhi Government’s excise policy for 2021–2022—which was canceled due to corruption allegations—had been ignored by him.

The investigative agency had requested the 10-day detention of the AAP national convener, accusing him of not assisting with the investigation and stating that he needed to be presented with the other accused and the evidence that the anti-money laundering agency had acquired.

On behalf of the ED, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju read the remand motion before the Special Judge, claiming that Kejriwal was the driving force behind the Delhi excise fraud and that he personally oversaw the policy’s execution while favoring the South Group.

Raju said that Kejriwal had wanted Rs 100 crore from some accused members of the South Group in order to win elections, and that he had earned numerous crores of rupees in bribes for creating and enforcing the Delhi excise policy.

The money trail demonstrated that the four hawala networks provided the 45 crore “kickbacks” utilized in the Goa Assembly elections, and Raju claimed that call detail records verified the testimonies of the defendants and witnesses. The ED said that in addition to his personal liability, Kejriwal also bore vicariously liable for the deeds of his accomplices.

Raju said that accused Vijay Nair, who lived next to the chief minister’s house and served as the AAP’s media coordinator, served as a go-between for the South Group.

Although AAP wasn’t an independent entity, it was a benefactor. It’s a business. Raju said that everyone engaged in the operation of the business has responsibility and would be held accountable.

Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi refuted the ED’s allegations on behalf of Kejriwal, claiming there was a plot to lock the AAP leader in prison in order to prevent him from running for office in the next Lok Sabha elections.

The Delhi Chief Minister withdrew his appeal against his detention by the ED from the Supreme Court earlier in the day, just after a bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna said the case will be heard later.

Singhvi argued against the need for an arrest, saying that one should only be made when it is necessary to take immediate action rather than just to do more research. Singhvi questioned the arrest, saying, “You don’t need to be arrested because you need to follow the money trail further.” It may serve as justification for inquiries, but not for interrogations. Why would you need more custodial custody when you already have the necessary materials?

“Move trial court”: SC refuses to grant Kavitha bail

On Friday, the SC declined to consider BRS MLC K Kavitha’s request for bail. Kavitha was detained by the ED in connection with an excise scam-related money laundering case. She was advised to go to trial court.