Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s counsel knocks at Supreme Court's door as his petition listed on May 6, not in week commencing April 29

Tribune News Service

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, April 26

Noticing that his petition challenging the Delhi High court’s verdict upholding his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case linked to the excise scam was listed on May 6, and not in the week commencing April 29, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday knocked at the Supreme Court’s door.

“Your Lordship directed the Arvind Kejriwal matter to be listed in week commencing (April) 29, I suddenly find it....they (ED) have filed a reply…The case list is showing on 6th (May) now…There is urgency,” senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi told a Bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna on behalf of the Delhi Chief Minister.

“You move an email, we will take it up,” Justice Khanna told Singhvi.

While issuing notice to the ED on Kejriwal’s petition challenging the Delhi High Court’s verdict upholding his arrest in the case, a Bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta had on April 15 posted the matter for further hearing in the week commencing April 29.

It had asked the ED to respond to Kejriwal’s petition by April 24 and given time till April 27 to Kejriwal to file his rejoinder the ED’s reply.

Describing Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal as “the kingpin and key conspirator of the Delhi excise scam”, the ED in its reply has told the Supreme Court that his conduct in avoiding interrogation despite nine summonses led the investigating officer “to form the satisfaction” that he’s guilty of money laundering.

Accusing the AAP of being the “major beneficiary” of the proceeds of crime generated in the Delhi excise policy scam, the ED said the party had committed the offence of money laundering through its national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

“Kejriwal is the kingpin and key conspirator of the Delhi excise scam in collusion with ministers of the Delhi Government, AAP leaders and other persons,” the probe agency said in its affidavit.

“Kejriwal was involved in the conspiracy of formulation of the excise policy, 2021-22, to favour certain persons and also involved in the demanding kickbacks from liquor businessmen in exchange for favours granted in the said policy,” the ED said, urging the top court to dismiss Kejriwal’s petition for being “devoid of merit”.

“The accused, by his conduct, has himself contributed and aided the investigating officer regarding the existence of the necessity to arrest, apart from the material in possession of the IO, to form the satisfaction that the petitioner is guilty of the offence of money laundering,” it said.

“Even on the date of the search during his interrogation while recording his statement under Section 17 of the PMLA, he was avoiding answering questions by being evasive and totally non-cooperative even with respect to simple non-incriminating questions,” the probe agency said. The ED said AAP was the major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the Delhi liquor scam.

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