Liquor policy case: Arvind Kejriwal's ED custody extended till April 1

Rouse Avenue Court hears Arvind Kejriwal's plea in excise policy case.

A Delhi court on March 28 sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to  Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand till April 1 in excise policy case.

The Rouse Avenue Court said the CM needs to be produced in court  on April 1 at 11.30 am.

in connection with the liquor policy case. The HC is now scheduled to hear the plea on April 3.

Kejriwal's arrest

On March 21, hours after the Delhi High Court refused to protect Kejriwal from arrest, the ED arrested him in the Delhi liquor policy case. Though the Delhi CM moved the Supreme Court challenging his arrest, he withdrew it after deciding to challenge his remand by the ED.

A day later, a Delhi court remanded Kejriwal to ED custody till March 28.

During the hearing at Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on March 22, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, who appeared for ED contended that Kejriwal was the key conspirator in the alleged irregularities in the scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22. Raju said, "He was directly involved in the formulation of the policy and was involved in the handling of proceeds of crime."

Kejriwal was represented by three senior lawyers. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who opened the arguments for Kejriwal, argued that there was no direct evidence linking Kejriwal to the alleged irregularities except for some witness statements. He said, "There is no direct evidence except these statements saying I met Mr Kejriwal, etc." According to Singhvi, if these witnesses were pardoned they would not name Kejriwal.

Singhvi also said that these attempts were being made to deter AAP's chances in the upcoming elections. "Four senior leaders of his party are arrested. There will be no level playing field," he said. Singhvi also stated that there was no necessity to arrest Kejriwal specifically in March 2024. He said, "In your grounds of arrest, there is no ground to arrest me".