The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Friday sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to the Enforcement Directorate’s custody till March 28, a day after his arrest in the excise policy-linked money laundering ‘scam’ case.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja said that Kejriwal will be produced before the court on March 28 at 2 PM. The court passed the order on the federal agency’s application seeking a 10-day custody.
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday claimed that Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal “took advantage” of being CM to facilitate money laundering by his party, which is a “major beneficiary” of the proceeds of crimes generated in the alleged liquor ‘scam’ case.
“Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of NCT of Delhi is the kingpin and key conspirator of the Delhi Excise scam in collusion with ministers of Delhi government, AAP leaders and other persons,” the federal agency informed a special PMLA court while seeking his custody. It claimed in its remand papers that “Arvind Kejriwal was involved in the conspiracy of formulation of the excise policy 2021-22 to favour certain persons and also involved in the demanding of kickbacks from liquor businessmen in exchange of favours granting in the said policy.”
The ED charged that Kejriwal “was directly involved in the use of proceeds of crime generated in the Goa election campaign of the AAP (in 2022) to which he is the convenor and the ultimate decision maker”.