With Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday surrendered at the Tihar jail, 21 days after interim bail was granted to him by the Supreme Court, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court sent him to judicial custody till 5 June, citing that the Enforcement Directorate moved an application on 20 May seeking judicial custody of him.
Kejriwal was produced before the court from jail via video conferencing. In the application, the ED had sought extension of judicial custody by a period of 14 days.
ALSO READ: Arvind Kejriwal surrenders at Tihar jail after interim bail ends, says don’t know when will I return
Stating that the application was pending as Kejriwal was on interim bail for Lok Sabha campaigning, the ED said the application was taken by the Duty Judge of Rouse Avenue Court – Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal – who decided to send the AAP convener to judicial custody till 5 June.
“Arvind Kejriwal has been made an accused and since the cognisance is pending we are praying for judicial custody of him,” ANI quoted the ED officials as saying.
Appearing for Kejriwal, advocates Rishikesh Kumar and Vivek Jain opposed the application of ED and stated that Kejriwal’s arrest in the excise police case has been challenged before the Supreme Court and order has also been reserved on his petition.
Earlier on Saturday, the court reserved the order on a fresh interim bail plea moved by Delhi CM who sought 7 days of bail citing medical reasons in the Excise Policy money laundering case.
ALSO READ: ‘Arvind Kejriwal made misleading claims about surrendering’: ED opposes Delhi CM’s interim bail plea
Kejriwal, through his legal team, has recently filed two different bail applications before the concerned court. His regular bail plea is listed for hearing on June 7, 2024.
“The investigation in this alleged liquor scam has been going on for the last two years, and there has been not a single penny of recovery from any of our leaders. They have put Arvind Kejriwal in jail without any recovery or evidence, and the people are taking note of it,” PTI quoted AAP Chief National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar as saying while reacting to Kejriwal’s judicial custody.
The Supreme Court on 10 May granted Kejriwal interim bail until 1 June in the money laundering case registered by the ED in connection with the Delhi excise policy. However, the order barred Kejriwal from visiting the Office of the Chief Minister and the Delhi Secretariat. The apex bench had also asked Kejriwal to surrender on 2 June.
On 21 March 21, Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
With agency inputs.
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Published: 02 Jun 2024, 06:40 PM IST
