• Source:JND
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Delhi Liquor Policy Case: Jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday submitted a rejoinder in the Supreme Court on ED's submissions in the top court accusing the AAP convenor of "extensive evidence tampering" during the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam period. Kejriwal in his rejoinder has alleged that the four ED witnesses, on whose statement he has been arrested, are connected to the BJP. The rejoinder came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court in response to his plea challenging his arrest.

Kejriwal said that the timing, mode and manner of his arrest just before when the schedule of the Lok Sabha elections had been announced and the Model Code of Conduct had come into play, speaks volumes about the arbitrariness of the ED. The Delhi chief minister further claimed that no proof or material evidence is there to prove that AAP received funds or advanced kickbacks from the alleged South group, "let alone utilising them in the Goa election campaign."

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“Not a single rupee was traced back to the AAP, and the allegations put forth in this regard are devoid of any tangible evidence, rendering them vague, baseless without any corroboration,” Arvind Kejriwal’s affidavit read.

According to a report by Jagran.com, Kejriwal, arrested in March over his alleged role in the Delhi Liquor Policy scam, also mentioned a diary written in Gujarati, which he alleged was found from a Hawala agent. Questioning the probe by the ED in the liquor policy case, the Delhi chief minister also accused the BJP of presenting their own evidence in the case, which he alleged was considered by the central probe agency without any investigation.

Kejriwal in his rejoinder also named the four persons, on whose statements he was arrested. He named Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, TDP candidate for Lok Sabha Election 2024 from Ongole seat in Andhra Pradesh. It is to be noted that TDP is contesting the Lok Sabha polls in alliance with the BJP and Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena.

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Another person named by Kejriwal in his rejoinder is Sarath Reddy, who was arrested by the ED in 2022 but was later granted pardon after he turned approver in the excise policy scam case in 2023. Kejriwal has alleged that Sarath Reddy paid Rs 50 crore to BJP as protection after his arrest in the case. Sarath Reddy is the director of Aurobindo Pharma.

Apart from Sarath Reddy and Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, Kejriwal has also named one Satya Vijay, who he said is a senior BJP leader in Goa and a close aide of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Kejriwal also named another person, allegedly close to Goa CM and working as his campaign manager. While naming these four persons, the Delhi CM has alleged that ED has arrested him based on statements by these four and "no evidence or money trail has been found against him".

Delhi Excise Policy Scam: What ED Told Supreme Court

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday (April 24) submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court in response to Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest and claimed that his arrest was prompted by extensive evidence tampering, including the destruction of approximately 170 mobile phones during the 'scam' period. The agency also stated that Kejriwal had evaded interrogation despite being summoned nine times.

Moreover, it refuted allegations of politically motivated timing for Kejriwal's arrest, saying that it was based on substantial evidence and did not compromise the integrity of elections. The agency said that the arrest of an accused individual, regardless of their stature, is justified when supported by evidence. Furthermore, the affidavit argued against granting immunity from arrest to politicians facing criminal charges.

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The ED arrested CM Kejriwal on March 21 after questioning him for over two hours at his official residence in Delhi. It has termed CM 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. A Delhi court had, on Tuesday, extended till May 7 the judicial custody of Kejriwal and BRS leader K. Kavitha in the case.