Excise policy case: Arvind Kejriwal’s judicial custody extended till Sept 3

NEW DELHI — A local court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till September 3 in connection with the alleged excise policy scam.

Chief Minister Kejriwal was produced before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court through video conferencing from Tihar Jail upon the expiry of his previously granted custody.

Last week, in a counter affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said that all the critical decisions in the formulation of the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy were taken at the behest of Chief Minister Kejriwal in “connivance” with the then Deputy Chief Minister and Excise Minister Manish Sisodia.

Seeking dismissal of Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest in the excise policy scam, the CBI claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo was simply attempting to politically sensationalise the matter, despite repeated orders passed by various courts being prima facie satisfied with the commission of the offences, for which cognisance has already been taken.

The CBI said that a total amount of INR 44.54 crore was sent through hawala channels to Goa from Delhi, which was used for meeting various election-related expenses of the Aam Aadmi Part (AAP) during the Assembly elections in the coastal state in 2021-22.

It further said that Kejriwal not only used the funds for the Goa elections, but also assured the party candidates not to worry about the expenditures.

His pleas seeking bail and challenging his arrest by the CBI are coming up for hearing before the Supreme Court on September 5. 

On July 12, the apex court had ordered Kejriwal’s release on interim bail in connection with the money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). However, Kejriwal remained in jail due to his arrest by the CBI.