In a recent development, the Delhi High Court declined to offer any immediate relief to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal concerning his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case. The court has scheduled the next hearing for April 3, allowing ED a seven-day period to submit their response to Kejriwal’s plea. In his legal challenge, Kejriwal argued that his arrest and the subsequent proceedings infringe upon his fundamental rights, questioning the ED’s failure to substantiate the allegations against him.
Kejriwal’s plea highlighted a lack of evidence for the accusations of illegal activities under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), such as concealment or possession of crime proceeds. He also insinuated that his arrest, made without prior questioning, hinted at an underlying political agenda.
Adding to the narrative, Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita, conveyed through a video message that the Chief Minister plans to reveal significant information regarding the so-called excise policy scam during a court session on March 28. She relayed Kejriwal’s assertion that despite over 250 ED raids linked to the scandal, no incriminating evidence has been uncovered.
Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21 is tied to a money laundering investigation stemming from alleged discrepancies in the 2022 Delhi Excise Policy, subsequently withdrawn. This case has also seen the arrests of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, alongside former minister Satyendar Jain, on related charges.
As the Delhi High Court awaits the ED’s response, the political and legal saga surrounding the excise policy case continues, with Kejriwal’s anticipated courtroom revelations promising further developments in this unfolding story.
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