Vinod Chauhan is the accused in the money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy. During his court appearance on Saturday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) demanded a four-day remand for him.
Regarding the case, Vinod Chauhan was detained by the ED in Goa on Friday. He was brought before the Special Judge at the Rouse Avenue Court today.
The Aam Aadmi Party’s campaign in the 2022 Goa assembly elections is said to have been funded by Chauhan, who is suspected of facilitating the transfer of a financial bribe from the South Group.
The ED informed the Court that Rs 1.06 crore was seized from Vinod Chauhan and claimed that he was aware that the money was illicitly obtained from the Delhi liquor scam.
“The money was transferred by Vinod Chauhan through illegal hawala channels for the Goa elections,” the ED counsel argued.
The ED counsel also stated that Chauhan failed to provide a legitimate source for the money.
“We are seeking four days of custody. We have digital, material, and physical evidence that needs to be confronted with Vinod Chauhan. Additionally, we wish to confront Chauhan with other suspects,” the ED counsel stated.
In connection with the Delhi Liquor Policy scam case, the federal agency has also arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his party colleague and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, K Kavitha (the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao), as well as several liquor businessmen and others.
Kejriwal was detained by the ED on March 21 as part of a money laundering investigation related to alleged irregularities in the now-defunct Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
On April 9, the Delhi High Court dismissed Kejriwal’s plea for release from custody and rejected his claim of political persecution ahead of the impending Lok Sabha elections.
In a recent development, the Supreme Court indicated on Friday that it might consider hearing arguments on May 7 regarding the interim bail plea of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal due to the ongoing 2024 general elections.