'ED Can Keep Me As Long As It Wants. It's A Scam', Asserts Kejriwal In Court; Remand Extended Till April 1

As the 6-day remand of Arvind Kejriwal comes to an end, the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal presented his side of story in court on Thursday.

The Delhi CM has stated that the motive behind his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was to crush the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

'ED can keep me as long as it wants. It's a scam', Asserts Kejriwal In Court

Kejriwal, whose six-day custody with the ED came to an end, was brought to court where he argued his case. During the trial, He stated that the ED's sole mission was to "trap" him in the now-withdrawn liquor policy case. The Delhi CM mentioned that he was not opposing the ED's request for remand.

He expressed that the ED could keep him in custody for as long as desired, but he emphasized that this was a scam orchestrated by the authorities. According to Kejriwal, the ED had two objectives: to crush the AAP and to operate an extortion racket behind the smokescreen of the case. He further stated that the ED was collecting money through this scheme, reported India Today.

The Enforcement Directorate has applied for a seven-day extension of Kejriwal's custody to continue the interrogation in the money laundering case. Kejriwal highlighted the ED's claim that the alleged liquor scam was valued at Rs 100 crore and questioned the money trail. He raised doubts about the whereabouts of the money, suggesting that the real scam began after the ED initiated its investigation.

Kejriwal, referred to as the "kingpin of the liquor policy scam" by the ED, stated that there were no grounds for his arrest. "I was arrested, and no court has proven me guilty. The CBI has filed 31,000 pages, and the ED has filed 25,000 pages. Even if they are read together, there is no reason for my arrest," he said, reported India Today.

In response, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju remarked that the Delhi CM was merely playing to the gallery. "How does he know the number of documents with the ED? This is all a figment of imagination," the ASG said.

The Delhi CM further alleged that Hyderabad-based businessman Sarath Chandra Reddy, implicated in the Delhi liquor policy case, had donated Rs 55 crore to the BJP. "I have evidence of the racket that is ongoing. He donated Rs 50 crore to BJP after being arrested," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal also highlighted that individuals were being coerced to become "approvers" in the case, and they were being pressured to alter their statements.

The ASG stated that the probe agency possessed evidence to demonstrate that Kejriwal had demanded Rs 100 crore in kickbacks. "The money allegedly received by the BJP has no connection to the liquor scam. There is no quid pro quo... The CM is not above the law. He is an ordinary man," the ASG stated.

Additionally, the ED mentioned that Kejriwal had not disclosed the password of the mobile phone recovered from him. "If he does not cooperate, then the phone will have to be opened (technically). Therefore, we require further remand. He is not cooperating," the ED stated.

ED Seeks 7-Day Extension of Kejriwal's Custodial Remand, Court Reserves Order

Meanwhile, as the remand custody for Arvind Kejriwal was ending on April 28, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) requested a seven-day extension for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's custody in the Delhi excise policy case at the Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday.

The ED has submitted a remand application, citing the need for further interrogation to confront Kejriwal with other individuals. Additionally, the ED mentioned that they are recording statements from some Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates in Goa.

Represented by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, the ED informed the court that Kejriwal's statements were obtained during custodial interrogation, during which he allegedly provided evasive responses. The ASG claimed that Kejriwal is deliberately withholding cooperation. The ED presented the recorded statements to the court and stated that Kejriwal did not disclose any passwords during custody, restricting access to digital data.

Arvind Kejriwal's remand extends by Delhi Court till April 1

The Delhi Court has extended the remand of Arvind Kejriwal by the ED until April 1. The ED sought the remand, stating that they have extracted data from one mobile phone (belonging to the arrestee's wife) and are currently analyzing it.

However, data from the other four digital devices seized during the search at Arvind Kejriwal's premises on March 21, 2024 (belonging to Kejriwal himself) are yet to be extracted. Kejriwal has requested time to provide the password/login credentials after consulting with his lawyers.