No Relief for Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi Court Extends AAP Leader’s Custody in Excise Policy Case

New Delhi July 25 2024 : The Delhi court has extended the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal until August 8 in connection with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case related to the Delhi excise policy scam. The extension was granted by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court during a hearing on Thursday.

The court also extended the judicial custody of Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha, and other accused in the related money laundering case until July 31. All the accused appeared before the court via video conference.

Although the Supreme Court had earlier granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case, he remains in Tihar Jail, as he has not yet furnished the required bail bond.

Arvind Kejriwal has been incarcerated since March 21, facing investigation by the ED on charges of money laundering. On May 10, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail for 21 days to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, after which he returned to prison on June 2.

During the last hearing, Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended Kejriwal’s custody until July 25. He participated in the proceedings via video conferencing from Tihar Jail. The court directed the ED to provide a copy of the supplementary charge sheet to Kejriwal’s counsel and other accused individuals.

On July 9, the court acknowledged the supplementary charge sheet filed against Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). It also recognized supplementary charges against Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur. These are the seventh and eighth supplementary charge sheets in the money laundering case linked to the Delhi Excise policy.

The ED filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (charge sheet) against Arvind Kejriwal and AAP on May 17, with Kejriwal having been arrested by the ED on March 21. Another supplementary complaint was filed against Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur on July 1.

In this money laundering case, the ED arrested several individuals, including Manish Sisodia, BRS leader K Kavitha, Sanjay Singh, Arvind Kejriwal, and others, including businessmen.

Opposing Kejriwal’s bail plea, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju presented evidence alleging that Kejriwal demanded a bribe of Rs. 100 crores, which reportedly went to the AAP for the Goa election campaign. It was also claimed that Rs. 45 crores were sent by Vinod Chauhan to Chanpreet Singh through hawala channels. Chanpreet Singh allegedly managed the AAP Goa election campaign.

The ED argued for Kejriwal’s remand, presenting evidence of Hawala transfers amounting to approximately Rs. 45 crores, corroborated by call data records, seized IT data from a Hawala firm in Goa, and evidence of payments being made partially in cash and bills. Multiple witness statements were also cited, indicating that cash was received by Chanpreet Singh, who was involved in the AAP campaign in Goa.