The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam. Earlier today, a division bench of Delhi High Court refused to pass orders granting interim protection from coercive action at this stage to Kejriwal in the case. Kejriwal has moved the Delhi High Court challenging the summons issued to him by the central probe agency. He has also filed an application seeking interim protection. The matter is fixed for hearing on April 22. Previously, ED had filed two criminal complaints against Kejriwal in city’s Rouse Avenue Courts alleging non compliance of the summons by him. So far, nine summons have been issued to the Chief Minister by the central probe agency. Last week, Kejriwal appeared before the ACMM court and was granted bail, subjecting to him furnishing bail bond to the sum of Rs 15,000 and a surety of like amount. That matter has been listed for hearing on April 01.
In its complaints, the ED claimed that Kejriwal disregarded the summons that was sent to him. Kejriwal has ignored the summons, arguing that it is against the law. But he recently told ED that he might be questioned after March 12 through a videoconference link. Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are being held in judicial custody after being arrested in connection with the money laundering case.
The Department of Economic Development (ED) has claimed that the excise policy was put into place as part of a plot to award certain private companies a 12 percent wholesale business profit; however, the Group of Ministers (GoM) minutes do not contain any reference to this requirement. Additionally, the Central Agency has asserted that Vijay Nair and other individuals conspired with South Group to give wholesalers extraordinary profit margins. The agency said that Nair was speaking for Manish Sisodia and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
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