Arvind Kejriwal was sent to ED’s custody for six days till March 28, a day after he was arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam. ED said Kejriwal was the kingpin of the liquor scam and the money trail has been traced to the Goa election campaign in 2022. The chief minister sought hefty bribes from the stakeholders of the liquor policy promising them undue favours and that money was used in the Punjab and Goa elections, the ED said. Appearing for Arvind Kejriwal, senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said remand should not be the norm and it should be looked into whether Kejriwal’s custody is needed.

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Kejriwal versus ED: Here is what happened in the court

1. The ED made some revelations and for the first time called Arvind Kejriwal the kingpin of the Delhi liquor policy scam.
2. ED said Vijay Nair who worked as the middleman in the case was staying near CM’s residence and they were working closely.
3. ED said they wanted a 10-day remand of Kejriwal to find out the entire money trail as AAP candidates told them that they received cash to contest for the AAP in Goa.
4. The south cartel represented by K Kavitha paid ₹100 crore kickback to Kejriwal which AAP used in the Goa election, the ED said.
5. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said ED has no ground for arrest and the ground they have presented could be the ground for questioning.
6. Singhvi said ED built its ground of arrest based on people who have turned approver. “All those who turn approver develop back pain and on back pain, the court does not oppose bail. This is the new formula I am seeing,” Singhvi said.
7. 80% of people interrogated by the ED did not name Arvind Kejriwal, Singhvi said.

AAP announces ‘gherao’ of PM residence to protest Kejriwal’s arrest; BJP hits back

“ED was asking for a 10-day remand. They said that to trace the money trail a custodial investigation is necessary. Considering all aspects, the judge gave a 6-day custodial remand. He will be presented here again on 28 March. ED argued that the money used for the Goa elections was ill-gotten. They said they have statements of some witnesses which prove this fact…” Arvind Kejriwal’s lawyer Madan Lal said.

Delhi minister Atishi said today is a dark day in the history of democracy in the country. “BJP wants to contest elections from behind the ED… Is ED a part of the BJP that the party is issuing their press release. To date, no proceeds of crime have been found by the ED against the AAP leaders… Today is a dark day in the history of the Democracy of the country. People of the country are seeing this murder of democracy which has been done today,” Atishi said.

Why Kejriwal didn’t deny any allegation: Smriti Irani

Union minister Smriti Irani addressed a press conference after the court’s order and said Kejriwal did not defend himself in the court. That Kejriwal sought a bribe from the south cartel, that he met Kavitha was not denied by Kejriwal’s lawyer, Smriti Irani said. 

“AAP leaders have been asking where the money trail is. Today the ED presented the trail in front of the court. The ED also gave details of how Sarath Reddy, a Hyderabad-based businessman, met Arvind Kejriwal and Kejriwal’s team did not deny it. Coming to the use of the money, Kejriwal spent ₹45 crore in the Goa election. But Kejriwal’s lawyers did not deny this either. Three lawyers were there today but they did not oppose it,” Smriti Irani said.