Excise policy case: Delhi court extends CM Kejriwal's ED custody till April 1

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) A Delhi court on Thursday extended the ED custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till April 1. 

CM Kejriwal, whose alleged role in the excise policy scam is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), was produced before Special Judge Kaweri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court on the expiry of his six-day ED remand on Thursday. 

Judge Baweja, who is overseeing the case, had sent him to ED custody on March 22. On Thursday, the probe agency sought the Chief Minister's custody for seven more days. However, after hearing the arguments, the court extended the AAP supremo's ED remand by four days till April 1.

During the hearing, the courtroom was packed with CM Kejriwal's supporters. His wife Sunita Kejriwal and AAP leaders Gopal Rai, Atishi, and Saurabh Bharadwaj, among others, were also present in the courtroom. 

Appearing for the ED, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju submitted that Kejriwal needs to be confronted with some individuals connected to AAP who have been summoned from Goa.

The ASG also accused Kejriwal of not cooperating with the probe and giving evasive replies, adding that digital data needs to be checked for which the ED needs passwords.

"Kejriwal says he will ask his lawyers whether to give the passwords," he said.

The court also allowed Kejriwal to make personal submissions for a brief period, during which the Chief Minister said the CBI has filed 31,000 pages while the ED has filed 25,000 pages in the case, but no one has been found guilty. 

"My question is, why have I been arrested," he asked.

"I am not opposing the ED custody... It can keep me for as long as it wants, but this is a scam. My name was taken by four witnesses... Many people come to my residence, is that enough ground to arrest a sitting CM," Kejriwal asked.

He also claimed that people are being made approver in the case and forced to change their statements.

On Kejriwal's claim that Sarath Reddy gave over Rs 50 crore to the BJP, the ASG said that it had nothing to do with the liquor scam.

"The BJP did not have the right to make the (excise) policy. We are not concerned with anyone paying any money to any person. That has nothing to do with the liquor scam," the ASG said.

He also claimed that the ED has materials to show that Kejriwal demanded Rs 100 crore in kickbacks.

The ED arrested Kejriwal on March 21 after questioning him for over two hours at his official residence in Delhi.

On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court refused to grant any interim relief to Kejriwal, who contended that his arrest and the remand order passed by Judge Baweja were illegal and that he was entitled to be released from custody immediately.

The high court said the probe agency has to be granted an opportunity to file a reply.

The ED has termed Kejriwal the "kingpin and the key conspirator" of the alleged excise scam in collusion with other ministers of the Delhi government, AAP leaders, and other persons.

The federal agency has alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was the major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the alleged liquor scam.

--IANS

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