Delhi Court Extends Custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Rejects PIL Seeking Removal
The Rouse Revenue Court in Delhi has granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) a four-day extension of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s custody, until April 1. Kejriwal was brought before the court as his initial six-day custodial remand with the ED came to an end. This decision comes after the Delhi High Court recently denied immediate relief to Kejriwal, stating that it would not intervene in his arrest by the ED.
Reasons for Custody Extension
The remand order was issued by Special CBI Judge Kaveri Baweja. During the hearing, the Additional Solicitor General SV Raju argued on behalf of the ED, stating that Kejriwal had been providing “evasive replies” during interrogation. The agency expressed the need to confront him with individuals summoned from Goa. Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have been accused of using kickbacks received for election campaigning in Goa and Punjab. Initially, the ED requested a seven-day custody extension, which was later reduced to four.
Kejriwal’s Response
During the hearing, Kejriwal accused the ED of attempting to “crush” his party and emphasized that no court had proven him guilty. He claimed that the ED’s actions were intended to create a “smokescreen” in order to facilitate the BJP’s alleged extortion racket. Kejriwal questioned the reason behind his arrest, especially considering the vast amount of chargesheets filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the ED.
Delhi High Court’s Ruling on Removal Petition
Separately, the Delhi High Court rejected a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking the removal of Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi Chief Minister. The division bench ruled that the decision rests with the executive and the president, and the court does not have the authority to interfere. The petition, filed by self-proclaimed farmer and social worker Surjit Singh Yadav, also sought to prevent Kejriwal from issuing directions.
Background of Kejriwal’s Arrest
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 after his name appeared multiple times in chargesheets related to the excise policy case. The probe agency has accused him of soliciting kickbacks from liquor traders in exchange for favors and serving as the “kingpin and key conspirator” in the now-defunct policy. Several other prominent AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, have already been arrested in connection with the case.
