After ED, CBI arrests Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi excise policy ‘scam’

Samad Hoque

New Delhi, June 26

In rising trouble for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the CBI on Wednesday arrested him in a corruption case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. His close aide and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP MP Sanjay Singh are co-accused in the case.

The Enforcement Directorate had arrested him in a money laundering case linked to the ‘scam’ on March 21.

Special Judge Amitabh Rawat sent the AAP national convener to three-day CBI custody after the agency’s counsel DP Singh submitted that his custody was needed to confront him with certain documents which the agency had.

DP Singh said Kejriwal had put the entire onus on Sisodia for the ‘scam’, claiming he had no idea about the excise policy. However, the Delhi CM, who also addressed the court in person, rebutted the CBI’s charge. “I have never testified that Manish Sisodia is guilty. Sisodia is innocent… AAP is innocent… I am innocent. Their (CBI’s) aim is to malign us (AAP leaders) through the media… All their claims are false,” Kejriwal said, adding the CBI was trying to create a sensation in the media by making false claims.

The Special Judge said Kejriwal had not said what the probe agency was attributing to him. After his arrest by the ED in March, the Delhi CM was granted 21-day interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10 to campaign in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. He surrendered before the Tihar Jail authorities on June 2.

Earlier, the CBI sought five-day remand of Kejriwal which was opposed by advocate Vikram Chaudhari who accused the agency of acting in a biased manner. “The manner in which this has been done is a matter of great concern,” Chaudhri said, adding that the investigation had been going on since August 2022, but Kejriwal was never made an accused in the case. “There have been four chargesheets in the case and in none of them there is reference to Kejriwal. When did you make him an accused? This is a classic case of abuse of power,” Chaudhari said, questioning the necessity and timing of Kejriwal’s arrest.

AAP convener withdraws plea from SC

AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday withdrew from the Supreme Court his petition challenging an interim order of the Delhi High Court staying a trial court order granting him bail in a money-laundering case linked to the excise policy ‘scam’.