Delhi excise policy case: CM Arvind Kejriwal’s judicial custody extended till April 23

Delhi excise policy case: CM Arvind Kejriwal’s judicial custody extended till April 23

A Delhi court on Monday extended Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s judicial custody till April 23 in the money-laundering case related to the now-scrapped excise policy. He was sent to Tihar Jail in the afternoon on April 1, hours after the court of Special Judge Kaveri Baweja sent him to judicial custody till April 15.

Earlier in the day, the custody of BRS leader K Kavitha, a co-accused in the case, was also extended till April 23.

The Enforcement Directorate, which arrested Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with the Delhi excise policy, had earlier told the Rouse Avenue court of Special Judge Kaveri Baweja that he was “totally uncooperative”, “evasive”, gave “misleading replies” and “concealed information” during his questioning.

In its earlier remand application, the ED alleged that kickbacks received after changes in the Delhi excise policy had been used to fund the AAP’s campaign for the Goa Assembly elections. The agency called Kejriwal the “kingpin and key conspirator” of the alleged scam.

The ED had seized four cellphones, including Kejriwal’s, before his arrest. The chief minister has switched off his iPhone and not shared its password with his interrogators, sources said. Kejriwal stated that the ED would get to know details of the AAP’s election strategy and pre-poll alliances if it accessed his phone data and chats, according to senior officials.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the ED on a plea moved by Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the central agency. The apex court sought the ED’s response and listed the case for hearing on April 29.

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