The Delhi High Court is all set to pronounce the verdict on Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejrwal’s plea in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case at 2:30 PM on Tuesday, 9th April 2024. In his petition, Kejriwal challenged his arrest and was remanded by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case that has been linked to the liquid policy case.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Arvind Kejriwal, the chief of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on 21st March 2024. The agency accused Delhi CMs of being the ‘kingpin’ and a key conspirator of the alleged scam in the Delhi Excise Policy case. He was later directed to the ED’s custody and then to judicial custody until 15th April. Kejriwal is currently held up in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
Last week, on 3rd April 2024, the high court kept the matter reserved after the conclusion of detailed arguments from both sides, the ED and Arvind Kejriwal. During the hearing, Kejriwal questioned the timing of the arrest, which happened just before the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024. CM Kejriwal’s lawyer said, “The timing reeks of democracy issue, level playing field issue…The only object is to humiliate and insult. The true object of the arrest is to disable me,”
Meanwhile, the ED has opposed Kejrwail’s plea, stating that the investigation is still not covered and is in the nascent stages. The ED further claims that AAP is a company under section 70 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. According to ED, Kejriwal’s role is not required in the case. But “what is required to be looked at is that he was responsible for the affairs of the company/party,” the ED was quoted by the legal news portal and Bench as saying.
However, the Bench of Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma has fixed the matter for pronouncement of order at 2:30 PM on Tuesday.
