April 9, 2024
NEW DELHI – The Delhi High Court is scheduled to pronounce it’s order on jailed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case relating to the alleged excise policy scam on Tuesday.
The bench of Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma shall pronounce the order at 2:30 pm tomorrow.
Last week, the bench had reserved its order after hearing detailed arguments from both sides.
In his plea, Kejriwal has challenged his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate as well as remand granted by the trial court.
During the hearing last week, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Kejriwal, said the Delhi CM’s arrest after the imposition of the model code of conduct (MCC) was aimed at not letting him participate in democratic activities.
He said there was no material evidence to show the proceeds of the crime in the case.
“The timing reeks of democracy issue, level playing field issue. You are clearly doing an arrest without any enquiry, statement, etc. It’s unique that there’s no Sec 50 here. The necessity to arrest is an important facet of the statute. But, here, your necessity to arrest was with an ulterior motive. The only object is to humiliate, insult and disable the petitioner. After one and a quarter year of investigation, they want to find the role of the Chief Minister,” Singhvi submitted.
While opposing Kejriwal’s plea, Enforcement Directorate lawyer ASG SV Raju submitted that the arguments made for the petitioner have been argued as if it is a bail application, not a plea for quashing the arrest.
Opposing Kejriwal’s plea, the central probe agency called Kejriwal the “kingpin and the key conspirator” in the alleged liquor policy scam in connivance with other Delhi ministers, leaders of the AAP, and other persons.
Additional solicitor general (ASG) SV Raju, who appeared for the central probe agency, said that the Delhi CM has “so much influence and has copies of chargesheets, relied and unrelied documents”.
“Criminals and under-trials have no business to say that we will commit a crime and will not be arrested because elections are here. This is completely ridiculous. It will give license to criminals to roam around freely,””Raju said in the court on behalf of ED.
The Delhi CM was arrested on the night of March 21 by the ED officials from his official residence following questioning for about two hours and was later sent to ED’s custodial remand by a Delhi Court on March 22, till April 1, presently he is under judicial custody at the Tihar Jail till April 15.