Arvind Kejriwal’s CBI Custody Ends Today, To Be Presented Before Delhi Court

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be presented in court today as his three-day custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concludes. Kejriwal was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the liquor policy case and is scheduled to appear before the Rouse Avenue court at 7 pm.

Initially, the CBI had requested a five-day remand for Kejriwal, but the court granted only three days. The agency argued that they needed this time to confront Kejriwal with evidence and documents related to the case. They also claimed that Kejriwal had implicated former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, suggesting that the idea of privatization came from him.

Kejriwal’s lawyer, Vikram Chaudhary, opposed the CBI’s request for custody, calling it an abuse of power and asking for access to the documents.

During the court hearing, Kejriwal spoke directly, maintaining his innocence and that of other AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia. He accused the CBI of manipulating media headlines to falsely implicate him and denied blaming Sisodia.

Kejriwal is already in Tihar jail due to his alleged involvement in a money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The Delhi liquor policy case revolves around alleged irregularities in the 2021-22 excise policy. These include changes to the policy, undue favours to licensees, and the extension of L-1 licences without prior approval. The CBI is investigating corruption charges, while the ED is looking into the money laundering aspect.

In July 2022, Delhi’s then Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommended a CBI investigation into the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s 2021-22 excise policy. This recommendation was based on an assessment report by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, which pointed out “deliberate and gross procedural lapses.”

Following the Home Ministry’s instructions for an inquiry, the CBI registered a case in August 2022 against Manish Sisodia, three Delhi government officials, 10 liquor licensees, and others. According to the CBI’s FIR, the accused were involved in making decisions about the excise policy for 2021-22 without the approval of the competent authority, intending to give undue favours to the licensees after the tender process.

Published By: Devika Bhattacharya Published On: Jun 29, 2024