The Enforcement Directorate presented Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal before the Rouse Avenue court on Friday following his arrest in connection with the excise policy case. The matter will be heard by the bench of special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja, with Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi representing the Delhi CM.
Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case occurred on Thursday after the Delhi High Court denied him interim protection from coercive action related to the case. Despite nine summonses issued by the Enforcement Directorate and the Delhi High Court, Kejriwal skipped appearances, leading to his arrest.
The case revolves around alleged irregularities and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy in 2022, which was subsequently annulled.
Kejriwal’s arrest follows the recent detention of K Kavitha, a leader of the Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, by the ED in connection with money laundering charges associated with the now-defunct excise policy.
Earlier, Manish Sisodia, then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 after extensive questioning. Additionally, on October 5, the ED apprehended Sanjay Singh, a Rajya Sabha member.
Kejriwal’s arrest also coincides with the impending Lok Sabha elections, scheduled from April 19 to June 1, as announced by the Election Commission earlier this month.
In the excise policy case, two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are currently in judicial custody. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 following several rounds of questioning, while Sanjay Singh was apprehended by the ED on October 5.