01 April,2024 11:55 AM IST | Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Arvind Kejriwal/ File Photo
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been remanded to 15-day judicial custody by a Delhi court on Monday. He will likely be lodged in Tihar jail, stated reports.
He was produced before the court today after his Enforcement Directorate custodial remand ended in the Delhi excise policy scam-linked money laundering case.
According to a PTI report, the ED sought 15-day judicial custody of the Aam Aadmi Party leader saying he was "totally uncooperative".
Before entering the court, Kejriwal told the reporters, "Whatever the prime minister is doing(referring to his arrest) is not good for the country."
According to the reports, he was produced before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja and Aam Aadmi Party ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Kejriwal's wife Sunita were present in court.
The federal agency arrested Arvind Kejriwal from his residence on March 21 in connection to the Delhi excise policy case and Special Judge Baweja had remanded him in ED custody till March 28. Following that the court allowed ED's extension plea of his custodial interrogation by four days till April 1.
Additionally, in its remand application, the federal probe agency accused the AAP national convener of being involved in the entire conspiracy of the Delhi excise policy case, in drafting and implementation of policy for favouring and benefitting the "quid pro receiving kickbacks and eventually using the part of proceeds of crime generated out of the scheduled offence in the election campaign for Goa Assembly Elections", stated the PTI report.
Kejriwal's arrest is the fourth high-profile arrest in the case. The Enforcement Directorate has arrested AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh in connection with the case and BRS MLC K Kavitha was arrested by ED days before Kejriwal's arrest.
Despite his arrest, Kejriwal is continuing to hold the post of CM and has been operating from custody. This is the first instance of a sitting CM being arrested.
