New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) Arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the kingpin of the alleged excise policy scam and is directly involved in its implementation and giving favours to the 'South Group', the ED told a court here on Friday as it sought his custody for questioning

Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the liquor policy case on Thursday evening, was produced in Rouse Avenue Court as he withdrew his plea filed before the Supreme Court

Seeking 10 days custody, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, who appeared for the ED with special counsel Zoheb Hossain, said that Kejriwal was non-cooperative in the investigation. "We want to gather information and interrogate him," he said.

He contended that the CM "is involved in the use of proceeds of crime", and had demanded kickbacks from the "South Group" in exchange for giving favours to them.

The South Group in question includes accused persons from whom, the ED claimed, that AAP leaders received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 crore, including Sarath Reddy, Raghav Magunta, and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy. Last week, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha was allegedly held for being a part of this group.

"Proceeds of crime of about Rs 45 crore received from the South Group were used by Aam Aadmi Party in the Goa campaign in 2021-22," ASG Raju said, adding that proceeds of crime were not only the Rs 100 crore bribe but also the profits made by bribe payers.

"Aam Aadmi Party is a beneficiary but it doesn't exist individually. It is a company. Every person who is involved in the functioning of the company is responsible and shall be deemed to be guilty," he said.

Kejriwal was arrested after being questioned at his official residence for more than two hours in connection with the money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam before he was taken to the probe agency's office on A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Road at 11 p.m. on Thursday. The Chief Minister remained in the ED jail overnight before he was produced before the Rouse Avenue Court on Friday after a medical examination.

Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vikram Chaudhary and Ramesh Gupta, appearing for Kejriwal, have moved an application for rejection of remand prayer.

Notably, Kejriwal was rushed out amid heavy security from the court after his BP took a low mid-hearing.

Talking to the media present in the court, Kejriwal said: "My life is dedicated to the nation if I stay outside the jail or inside it." It was his first statement after his ED arrest.

Moreover, a PIL has also been filed before the High Court seeking the removal of Kejriwal from the post of Chief Minister of Delhi.

CM Kejriwal withdraws petition from SC against ED arrest

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the liquor policy case, withdrew his plea filed before the Supreme Court on Friday.

A special Bench of the top court was scheduled to hear on Friday afternoon the plea filed by Chief Minister Kejriwal seeking quashing of his arrest.

Earlier in the day, Justice Sanjiv Khanna – who returned to the Bench in a different combination – told senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi that the 3-judge special Bench will hold the sitting to hear Kejriwal’s petition as soon as other matters on board get over.

The same special Bench, comprising Justices Khanna, MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi, on Friday, denied any interim relief on a plea filed by BRS leader K. Kavitha against her arrest by the ED in the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy case.

Agreeing to urgently list CM Kejriwal’s plea, CJI DY Chandrachud on Friday morning told his counsel senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi: “A special bench is convening in Justice Sanjiv Khanna’s court. You can go right away and it will be taken up right away.”

Before Singhvi could mention the matter, Justice Khanna-led special Bench had risen after concluding the scheduled hearing. However, Justice Khanna assured the senior counsel, representing Kejriwal, that the special Bench would assemble as soon as other matters on board get over.

On late Thursday, Chief Minister Kejriwal knocked Supreme Court’s doors after the Delhi High Court denied him protection against "coercive action" by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has issued multiple summons to him in connection with the excise policy case.

Anna Hazare: Deeply pained, but Arvind Kejriwal paying for his deeds

 Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Friday said that he felt “deeply pained” by the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, “who is now paying for his own deeds”.

Interacting with a large crowd of mediapersons at his native village Ralegan-Siddhi this morning, Anna Hazare, 86, recalled his old association with Arvind Kejriwal during the India Against Corruption (IAC)’s long movement in New Delhi in 2011, and other places.

“I remember, he was working with me and we both had raised our voices against liquor… But now he’s trying to accord legal sanction to liquor. I felt very hurt by it,” lamented Hazare.

However, he said nothing can be done against the government and CM Kejriwal has been arrested for his own dark acts.

“If he had not done such things (liquor policy), this (arrest) would not have happened. Now, the law shall take its course, the government will see and decide what has to be done,” declared Hazare flatly.

This was Hazare’s first reaction after his former close associate Arvind Kejriwal was detained, questioned and then arrested by the Enforcement Directorate late on Thursday, sparking an uproar from opposition political circles.

Sharad Pawar slams CM Kejriwal’s arrest, fears more may follow
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar on Friday strongly flayed the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying the Aam Aadmi Party would gain in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, and expressed apprehensions that more such actions may follow.

Speaking to the media here, Sharad Pawar reiterated how the Central investigation agencies were being used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against opposition political parties and their leaders, and criticised the nabbing of CM Kejriwal late Thursday evening.

“The abuse of the ED and CBI and other agencies is going on by freezing (bank) accounts to stop the campaign of a big political party (Congress) in the country. The ex-CM of Jharkhand was also arrested and jailed… All this is wrong and I condemn it,” said Pawar.

While declaring his full support to CM Kejriwal, he said that "by putting a good man in jail, democracy is being strangled, and it is hundred per cent clear that the action is being taken in view of the elections, and such things are unprecedented in the country".

"Same action was taken in Jharkhand, now Delhi and tomorrow it will happen across the country, even raising doubts over how fair the LS elections will be," he said.

Predicting that the AAP will get a political windfall after CM Kejriwal’s arrest, Sharad Pawar said that earlier the party got more than 90-95 per cent seats, “this time, they will get hundred per cent seats” as 80-89 per cent of the Delhi electorate admires the AAP leader.

He referred to CM Kejriwal’s earlier harassment after which, he had made a clean sweep of the Delhi Assembly elections on two occasions (2015 and 2020), and predicted that even this time the AAP will get huge sympathy votes in the ensuing polls.

Sharad Pawar’s comments came the morning after CM Kejriwal’s arrest in an alleged excise policy scam, sending shockwaves in the opposition circles across India and evoking strong criticism of the BJP.

Other Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders, including Congress’ Nana Patole, Atul Londhe, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut, NCP (SP)’s Dr. Jitendra Awhad, Clyde Crasto and many more have slammed the government on CM Kejriwal’s arrest terming it as systematic targeting of the opposition by gross abuse of the Central probe agencies.

The AAP Maharashtra unit held protests and demonstrations in different parts of the state denouncing CM Kejriwal's arrest by the ED.

No role of Centre in arrest of CM Kejriwal: Pralhad Joshi

Union Minister for Mine, Coal and Law Pralhad Joshi on Friday said that there is no role of the Central government in the arrest of the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, Joshi said that Kejriwal showed extreme arrogance and did not care even after being served summons nine times. When he did not respond, legal action has been initiated.

"Kejriwal showed arrogance. The ED had given him sufficient time. When he did not care for summons, he was arrested."

Despite being indulged in corruption, Kejriwal did not give the required information and went to the High Court. The court said that it was not possible to protect him. Even on Thursday, he did not cooperate with the investigation following which he was arrested, Joshi stated.