Delhi liquor policy case: A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till August 27 in a money laundering case lodged by the CBI in connection with the alleged excise policy scam. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended Kejriwal's custody after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was produced before the court through a video conference on the expiry of the period of his judicial custody granted earlier.
Earlier on August 14, the Supreme Court also refused to grant interim bail to Kejriwal in the said case and sought a response from the probe agency on his plea challenging his arrest. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, submitted that he had got interim bail on three occasions in the money laundering case, also linked to the alleged scam, despite the stringent conditions laid down for grant of bail in cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
What Delhi High Court said on matter?
The Delhi High Court on August 5 upheld the arrest of the Chief Minister as legal, dismissing any claims of malice in the actions of the Central Bureau of Investigation. The court stated that the CBI had successfully demonstrated the Chief Minister's potential influence over witnesses, who only gained the courage to testify following his arrest. The court further directed the Chief Minister to seek regular bail from the trial court in the CBI case. The High Court noted that the evidence against the Chief Minister was solidified after his arrest, validating the CBI's actions as justifiable and lawful.
The Chief Minister, who was arrested by the ED on March 21, was granted bail by the trial court in the money laundering case on June 20. However, the trial court's order was stayed by the high court. On July 12, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in the money laundering case filed by the ED. According to the CBI and the ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours extended to licence holders.
Delhi Excise policy case
The matter relates to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22. It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP. The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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