(Pic credit: X) IANS
New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) A Delhi court on Monday sent Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till April 15, while the AAP supremo moved an application to have three books -- Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana and How Prime Ministers Decide.
He was produced before Special Judge Kaweri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court on expiry of his previously extended Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody in connection with the money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.
On March 28, Judge Baweja had extended his ED custody, holding that there were "sufficient reasons". However, she had allowed him to meet his family members and lawyers.
On Monday, the CM was produced amid heavy security while counsel for both ED and CM Kejriwal made submissions virtually. Senior Advocates Vikram Chaudhary and Ramesh Gupta appeared for him and Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju for the probe agency.
Seeking his judicial custody, ASG Raju said that "we (ED) seek his judicial custody and no more ED remand".
Alleging the same what it had alleged last time, the ED said: "He (Kejriwal) is non-cooperative and is giving evasive replies."
The ASG made another similar submission as last time saying that CM Kejriwal isn't giving password to his phone.
The court was told by ASG that the ED might seek his custody later.
After a brief hearing, the judge sent CM Kejriwal to judicial custody till April 15. The accused has also moved an application to be provided with special diet, medicines, books and religious locket which he is wearing, while being in the custody.
Earlier, the probe agency had sought the Chief Minister's custody for seven more days. However, after hearing the arguments, the court had extended the AAP supremo's ED remand by four days till April 1, observing that there appear to be "sufficient reasons" to permit his further custodial interrogation, particularly keeping in view the submissions of the ED.
The probe agency had submitted that he is required to be confronted with the material collected and statements recorded so far in the course of the investigation.
The court had directed the investigation officer to ensure that further interrogation and confrontation, etc., of the accused is done without any delay.
Judge Baweja had allowed CM Kejriwal to meet his family members, including his wife, daughter, PA and advocates.
Moreover, the court had directed the agency to conduct the interrogation at a place with CCTV coverage and for the preservation of the footage. The ED was also asked to provide the requisite medication to CM Kejriwal and get him medically examined in accordance with the law during the period of his custody.
The ED arrested CM Kejriwal on March 21 after questioning him for over two hours at his official residence in Delhi.
The ED has termed CM Kejriwal the "kingpin and the key conspirator" of the alleged excise scam in collusion with other ministers of the Delhi government, AAP leaders, and other persons.
When will Kejriwal resign, asks BJP after court sends him to jail; points to ‘Nair-Atishi link’
Hours after Arvind Kejriwal was sent to jail by a city court for 15 days, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday hurled a volley of charges on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its convenor over its morality and probity standards and questioned, ‘when will the Chief Minister resign?’
BJP spokespersons, in a press conference, also lambasted the INDIA bloc for rallying behind the Delhi Chief Minister, accused of looting public money in the now-scrapped liquor policy case.
Sudhanshu Trivedi slammed the Delhi CM for playing the victimhood card in the aftermath of the arrest and said that he is being tried in the case, based on ‘concrete evidence’.
“It’s the jurisprudence of the court to extend custody but it clearly raises questions on morality and constitutional integrity. Lalu Yadav resigned when he was about to quit but Kejriwal has gone a step ahead,” he said.
Shazia Ilmi, one of the AAP’s founding members, said that Kejriwal earlier betrayed the founding members and it was now the turn of new members like Atishi Marlena and Saurabh Bhardwaj.
Citing Kejriwal’s statements made to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), she said, “Delhi CM told the central agency that Vijay Nair didn’t report to him but to Atishi and Saurabh.”
Notably, Vijay Nair is the former communications-in-charge of AAP and also a key accused in the Delhi liquorgate. He was the middleman, who allegedly helped liquor mafias acquire licences for liquor shops in the capital.
Shazia also went all guns blazing on the INDIA bloc for rallying behind the AAP convenor, arrested on charges of corruption at the same Ramlila Maidan.
“It was the same ground where Kejriwal fasted for 13 days seeking action against the corrupt leaders including those in the INDIA bloc, now the same group has closed ranks and is demonstrating for him,” she told the press.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala also drew the attention of the press towards a ‘social media trend’, hinting at Atishi being made a scapegoat in the liquorgate, to save the AAP convenor.
Notably, Atishi Marlena, seen as the ‘likely successor’ of Arvind Kejriwal for the top post, holds the maximum number of portfolios in the Delhi government, some of which include Finance, PWD, Education and more.
