- By Vivek Raj
- Sat, 13 Apr 2024 12:47 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for April 15 to consider a plea filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and subsequent remand in the liquor policy case. Kejriwal's plea seeks judicial review of the legality of his arrest and detention by the ED. The Delhi CM was arrested last month in connection with the excise policy case, which pertains to alleged irregularities in the implementation of liquor policies. The ED arrested Kejriwal, citing alleged money laundering offenses.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta will hear the matter, as reported by news agency ANI.
Earlier on Tuesday, in a major setback to Aam Aadmi Party supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi High Court had rejected his plea and held that arrest and remand by ED was 'not illegal'.
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The High Court's verdict stated that evidence gathered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) indicated Arvind Kejriwal's involvement in a conspiracy and active participation in the utilisation and concealment of proceeds of crime. It also noted that Kejriwal's involvement extended to both his personal capacity and his role as the convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The court also mentioned that the evidence included statements from hawala dealers and a member of AAP, although their identities were not disclosed in the judgment.
In its 103-page judgment by the single-judge bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, the court said, “He (Kejriwal) is allegedly involved in the offence of money laundering in two capacities. Firstly, in his personal capacity as he was involved in the formulation of the excise policy and in demanding kickbacks. Secondly, in his capacity as the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party as per Section 70(1) of PMLA, for use of proceeds of crime of Rs 45 crore in AAP’s election campaign in 2022 Goa elections."
The central probe agencies ED and CBI have alleged that AAP leaders accepted Rs 100 crore as kickbacks from a group of politicians and liquor businessmen to grant licenses to them under the now-scrapped Delhi Liquor policy. The probe agencies claim that the policy favoured certain liquor traders at the expense of the public exchequer. The kickbacks received were allegedly used by Aam Aadmi Party in Goa and Punjab Assembly elections.
In connection to the Liquor policy case, AAP leader Manish Sisodia has also been in jail since February last year. Another AAP leader Sanjay Singh, arrested in the same case recently walked out of jail on bail.
