Delhi Excise Policy Graft Case: ED calls Arvind Kejriwal key conspirator in liquor scam, seeks 10-day custody

The ED on Friday sought 10-day custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, calling him a "key conspirator" in the excise policy scam case along with other ministers and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders. Amid tight security arrangements, Kejriwal was produced in the trial court at around 2 pm, shortly after he withdrew from the Supreme Court a plea against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. 

During the AAP national convener's remand hearing, the ED, the country's financial crime fighting agency, told Special Judge Kaveri Baweja at the Rouse Avenue court that Kejriwal received several crores of rupees as kickbacks from a 'south group' for formulating and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. He demanded Rs 100 crore from some accused from the group for contesting the Punjab elections, said Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, appearing for the agency.

"We have given an application for 10 days' remand," ASG Raju told the court.

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Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, said it was the first time in the history of the country that a sitting chief minister was arrested.

The power of arrest is not equal to the need of arrest and there was no necessity of arresting this man, he said.

Meanwhile, Mine, Coal and Law Minister Pralhad Joshi said that there was no role of the central government in the arrest of the Delhi Chief Minister.

With inputs from agencies