In a significant development, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been placed in judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Delhi liquor policy case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The agency asserted that his custody is necessary “in the interest of investigation and justice.”
Earlier today, Special Judge Sunena Sharma reserved the order as Arvind Kejriwal was presented in court after the conclusion of his three-day CBI custody.
The CBI’s remand application claimed that Arvind Kejriwal did not cooperate and provided evasive responses. “On being confronted with the evidence, he did not give a proper and truthful explanation regarding the enhancement of the profit margin for wholesalers from 5 percent to 12 percent under the new excise policy of Delhi 2021-22, without any study or justification,” the CBI stated.
The agency further alleged that during the peak of the second wave of COVID-19, cabinet approval for the revised excise policy was hastily obtained within a day, while key figures from the “South Group” were reportedly in Delhi holding meetings with his close associate Vijay Nair.
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Moreover, Arvind Kejriwal was accused of evading questions about Nair’s meetings with stakeholders in the liquor business and could not adequately explain his interactions with other accused individuals, including Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, Arjun Pandey, and Mootha Gautham.
“He, being a prominent politician and chief minister of Delhi, is a very influential person. As such, there are credible reasons to believe that he may influence the witnesses and evidence already exposed during the custodial interrogation and also the potential witnesses who are yet to be examined,” the CBI’s application read.
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Previously, Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 on money laundering charges related to the Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22. The policy was subsequently scrapped after concerns were raised by the Lieutenant Governor. The ED alleged that funds obtained from liquor sellers were used to finance AAP’s campaign in Goa.
Throughout these proceedings, Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have maintained that the central government is misusing its agencies to target the opposition with baseless allegations.
