Arvind Kejriwal News highlights: Delhi CM's judicial custody extended till April 23

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Chanpreet Singh, who allegedly "managed" AAP funds for the Goa assembly elections, in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, PTI reported, citing official sources. He was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

The Delhi government’s 2021-22 excise policy aimed to revitalise the city’s flagging liquor business. It aimed to replace a sales volume-based regime with a license fee one for traders, and promised swankier stores, free of the infamous metal grilles, ultimately giving customers a better buying experience. 

The policy also introduced discounts and offers on the purchase of liquor, a first for Delhi. The plan, however, ended abruptly, with Delhi’s lieutenant governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena recommending a probe into alleged irregularities in the regime. This ultimately resulted in the policy being scrapped prematurely and being replaced by the 2020-21 regime.

"I became emotional seeing him. He is being treated like a hardcore criminal. What is his fault? Is it his fault that he built mohalla clinics?" said Mann.

"Even while being inside jail, he is worried about the people of Delhi. He said that from next week, he will call two ministers to discuss issues. He has also asked party MLAs to go out among people," one of the AAP workers said.

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: The judge extended Kejriwal's judicial custody till April 23, noting that the judicial custody of some of the co-accused persons in the case, including BRS leader K Kavitha, is ending on that date. The court had on April 1 sent Kejriwal to judicial custody till April 15 in the case.

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: The Supreme Court issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a plea by Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the agency and his subsequent remand in the excise policy case. 

During the hearing, Singhvi urged the bench to give a short date for the hearing, preferably the coming Friday. The bench said, "We will give you a short date, but it is not possible to meet the date suggested by you." Singhvi said the arrest of Kejriwal was made to disable him from campaigning. 

The apex court posted the case for further hearing in the week commencing from April 29.

The bench, in its order, stated, "Issue notice. returnable on April 24. Notice is accepted by the respondent (ED), who is presented in court on caveat. Reply to be filed on or before April 24 and rejoinder (by Kejriwal) on or before April 27. Post-in week commencing April 29."

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: A Delhi court on Monday extended the judicial custody of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal till April 23 in connection with the excise policy case. Read More

Kejriwal appeared before the court through virtual conference

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: ‘Chief Minister Kejriwal asked me to visit different places for campaigning for INDIA bloc candidates,’ Punjab CM Mann said after meeting CM Kejriwal.

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Enforcement Directorate on a plea by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest in a money-laundering case stemming from the alleged excise policy scam. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta issued notice to the ED on Kejriwal's plea challenging the Delhi High Court order that had upheld his arrest in the case. The bench asked the ED to file reply to the plea by April 24, and said the matter would be heard in the week commencing April 29.

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: Supreme Court asks ED to file its response on or before April 24. Supreme Court posts the plea of Kejriwal on the week commencing from April 29.

"It was very painful to see that he (Arvind Kejriwal) is not getting the amenities a hardcore criminal gets. What is his crime? That he constructed hospitals, schools and provided free electricity to the public? They are treating him as if he is a very big criminal," says Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: From next week, Arvind Kejriwal will call 2 ministers for meeting and discuss issues, says AAP MP Sandeep Pathak after meeting Delhi CM in jail

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: Supreme Court will hear Delhi CM's plea against his arrest shortly.

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: In his appeal filed in the Supreme Court,the Delhi CM has described his arrest by the ED ahead of the general election as an ‘unprecedented assault on the tenets of democracy’ and urged the apex court to release him stating that the case against him was ‘illegal.’

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will meet Aam Aadmi Party convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently in Tihar jail, on Monday inside the prison premises, according to Tihar jail officials. Earlier, on April 12, Punjab Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, AK Pandey held a review meeting and discussed security preparations for organizing a meeting between the two leaders in the Tihar jail premises.

Arvind Kejriwal News Live: The Supreme Court on Monday is set to hear a plea of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and his subsequent remand in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta will be hearing the matter. Read More

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Sunday alleged that the ED opposed foreign travel of the government witness at whose testimony Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested in the excise policy case.

"The interesting thing is that ED opposed its approver Sarath Reddy's foreign visit on the ground that he may not return to India to support the case…How will he come when you have made him write a false statement? Why will he join your investigation? And even if he does, what proof will he give against Kejriwal ji when he does not have any proof?" he questioned.

Kejriwal, in his appeal filed in the Supreme Court, described his arrest by the ED ahead of the general election as an "unprecedented assault on the tenets of democracy" and urged the apex court to release him by declaring the case against him as "illegal". According to him, his arrest after the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls was "obviously motivated by extraneous considerations". 

"The intervention of this court is urgently warranted, as over and above the issue of illegal curtailment of liberty, the petitioner's arrest also constitutes an unprecedented assault on the tenets of democracy, free-and-fair elections and federalism, both of which form significant constituents of the basic structure of the Constitution," the plea said.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who is currently out on bail in the excise policy case, claimed that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was not being allowed in-person meetings with his family in Tihar jail. 

“There is an attempt to break the morale of CM Kejriwal…His family has not been allowed in-person meetings with him. They are only allowed to meet him through the jangla. This is inhuman. Even hardcore criminals are allowed in-person meetings,” the AAP leader said while addressing the media. 

The Delhi high court dismissed Arvind Kejriwal's plea against his arrest, saying that the ED had sufficient materials to justify the arrest. According to the court, Kejriwal's arrest an an “inevitable consequence of his non-cooperation” with the probe agency. The court also observed that the central agency could not be blamed for “choosing the timing” of the chief minister's arrest.

“He (Kejriwal) is allegedly involved in the offence of money laundering in two capacities. Firstly, in his personal capacity as he was involved in the formulation of the excise policy and in demanding kickbacks. Secondly, in his capacity as the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party as per Section 70(1) of PMLA, for use of proceeds of crime of ₹45 crore in AAP’s election campaign in 2022 Goa elections," the court said.

The Supreme Court will hear a plea of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and his subsequent remand in connection with the Delhi excise policy case today. Kejriwal had moved the top court challenging a Delhi high court judgment that dismissed his plea on April 9.