Amid high-voltage drama that unfolded inside the Rouse Avenue court during the Delhi Excise policy scam hearing against Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi Chief Minister said that there is a political conspiracy that is aimed at finishing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The party's national convener was arrested by the ED on March 21 in an excise policy-linked money laundering case.
The CM sought permission to speak and began his statements by saying that he had been arrested without a case. He made the submissions as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) produced him in the court of Special Judge Kaveri Baweja and sought seven days further custody, arguing he needs to be confronted with some people linked with the case.
ALSO READ | Arvind Kejriwal in court: 'ED can keep me in custody for as long as they want'
Kejriwal: I have been arrested... Nor has any case been filed against me... C Arvind was Manish Sisodia's PA. He said that Manish gave the papers to C Arvind in my house. Is this enough to arrest the CM? No court has found me guilty... ED and CBI have filed reports running into thousands of pages. Thanks to ED this case has been going on for two years.
"I am named by four witnesses in the excise policy case. Are 4 statements enough to arrest a sitting CM?"
Kejriwal asked whether this is a proper ground to arrest a Chief Minister. CM said, "There was a statement from Ragunta that he had come to me asking for land, I had said that the land falls within LG purview."
ED then objected to Kejriwal speaking. Taking the objection into cognisance, the court said, "If Kejriwal has anything to say then he should give a written statement to the court."
Kejriwal: I am not opposing ED's remand, it can keep me for as many days as it wants. It's being alleged that there it was a Rs 100 cr scam...Justice Sanjiv Khanna said that the money trail is not yet traced...The motive of ED is to crush the Aam Aadmi Party.
What ED alleged
Aam Aadmi Party took the bribe and used it in Goa elections... We have documents that this money was used in the Goa elections through the Hawala route. The money that Kejriwal is talking about giving to BJP has nothing to do with the liquor scam... There is no case of collusion (bribe) in it... Kejriwal is not a normal person. Kejriwal has hired big lawyers for the hearing, not every normal person has this facility.
ED said that this matter is still at the stage of investigation, how can there be talk of trial here?
