Delhi HC denies urgent listing of Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging ED arrest and custody in excise policy case

The Delhi High Court denied an urgent listing of the plea filed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest and remand in the Excise Policy case. 

“An urgent mentioning was made by his [Kejriwal's] counsel for an urgent listing. The High Court denied it and the matter will be listed after the court will reopen after holi break.,” news agency ANI reported.

Arvind Kejriwal moved the Delhi High Court on Saturday, challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the money laundering case linked to the Delhi government's Excise Policy. The chief minister also challenged city court’s March 22 order remanding him to the ED's custody till March 28.

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The Enforcement Directorate arrested Kejriwal on Thursday (March 21), accusing him of being the “key conspirator” in the alleged excise policy “scam”. On Friday, Kejriwal was remanded to custody of the central probe agency for six days till March 28.

Several AAP leader have been protesting against Kejriwal's arrest since Friday. "The AAP office in Delhi has been "sealed" from all sides," its senior leader Atishi claimed on Saturday. She said the party will report the matter to the Election Commission.

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Why was Arvind Kejriwal arrested?

The Enforcement Directorate alleged that Kejriwal "used" the post of chief minister of Delhi to facilitate money laundering by the AAP, which is a "major beneficiary" of the proceeds of crimes generated in the alleged liquor scam case.

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"Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of NCT of Delhi is the kingpin and key conspirator of the Delhi Excise scam in collusion with ministers of Delhi government, AAP leaders and other persons," the ED informed a special PMLA court while seeking his 10-day custody on Friday.

The agency further alleged that the 'South Group' members, that includes arrested BRS leader K Kavitha and some others, paid kickbacks of ₹100 crore to the AAP.

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The ED, for the first time in the about two year old probe, said the AAP was the "major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the Delhi liquor scam", news agency PTI reported.

The ED said Kejriwal "was directly involved in the use of proceeds of crime generated in the Goa election campaign of the AAP (in 2022) to which he is the convenor and the ultimate decision maker".

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Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi defended Kejriwal in the trial court on Friday and said that there is no direct evidence against the chief minister. "Without there being any material in possession of the Enforcement Directorate on the basis of which Mr Kejriwal can be believed to be guilty of an offence, he is being illegally and arbitrarily arrested by the ED," Singhvi submitted before Rouse Avenue court.