Excise policy case: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday moved the Delhi High Court challenging his arrest and remand by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the excise policy case.
Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI in connection with the Delhi government's excise policy. On March 21, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped policy. He was granted bail by a trial court that was stayed by Delhi High Court.
Delhi Court sends Kejriwal to judicial custody till July 12
This comes after a court sent the Chief Minister to judicial custody till July 12 in a corruption case related to the alleged excise scam, saying his name has surfaced as one of the main conspirators and as the investigation is still in progress, his further custodial interrogation may be required.
In the application given to Rouse Avenue Court seeking judicial custody, CBI has said that Kejriwal is not cooperating in the investigation and is deliberately avoiding giving direct answers to the questions.
Delhi Court on Kejriwal's judicial custody
Noting the evidence before it, the court said that the investigation revealed that accused Vijay Nair, a close associate of Kejriwal, was the media-in-charge of the Aam Admi Party and he had contacted various liquor manufacturers and traders for demanding undue gratification for incorporation of provisions favourable to them in the excise policy for 2021-22.
It also noted that Kejriwal's name surfaced as one of the "main conspirators of the criminal conspiracy" for various offences under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code.
"Four chargesheets in the case have already been filed against 17 accused persons including the persons of South group," the court noted.
Kejriwal has been in prison since April 1 in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case being probed by the ED.
The Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 was withdrawn by the Kejriwal government in July 2022 after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its formulation and implementation.
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