The Delhi High Court is set to hear a petition filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case associated with the alleged excise policy scam.
Kejriwal’s plea, seeking immediate release due to the purportedly “illegal” nature of his arrest and subsequent remand to the ED, will be addressed before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma at 10:30 am.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener was apprehended on March 21 and subsequently detained in the ED’s custody until March 28 by a Delhi court.
Last week, Kejriwal filed his petition with the high court, seeking an urgent hearing. However, sources reveal that his plea for an immediate hearing was rejected as the high court was closed for the Holi festival.
Following this, on Friday, a trial court extended Kejriwal’s custody to the ED until March 28, citing the necessity for comprehensive interrogation. The ED’s action came shortly after the high court declined to provide Kejriwal protection from coercive measures by the agency.
Prior to this, Kejriwal had approached the court to annul all proceedings, including summonses, initiated against him.
In his petition, Kejriwal stressed his role as a vocal critic of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), highlighting his status as an opposition leader and partner in the INDIA bloc.
He argued that the ED, controlled by the Union government, has been weaponized. The case revolves around allegations of corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was scrapped.
It is to be further noted that the top AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody related to this case. Kejriwal’s name features prominently in the ED’s chargesheets, with the agency alleging that the accused coordinated with him to devise the excise policy, resulting in undue benefits in exchange for kickbacks paid to the AAP.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Published: 27 Mar 2024, 08:05 AM IST