CBI calls Kejriwal evasive, court extends custody

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal being produced before a court. Pic/PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been sent to jail for 14 days under judicial custody in the Delhi liquor policy case being probed by the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI). Kejriwal was produced in the court by the CBI after the end of his three-day custodial interrogation saying his incarceration was required "in the interest of the investigation and justice".

Allowing the plea, Special Judge Sunena Sharma said that Kejriwal be produced in the court on July 12. On March 21, he was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped policy. He was granted bail by a trial court that was stayed by the Delhi High Court. In its remand application, the CBI alleged Kejriwal did not cooperate and gave evasive replies.

"On being confronted with the evidence, he did not give a proper and truthful explanation regarding the enhancement of the profit margin for wholesalers from 5 per cent to 12 per cent under the new excise policy of Delhi 2021-22, without any study or justification," the CBI said. "He also could not explain as to why during the peak of second wave of COVID, the cabinet approval for revised excise policy was obtained through circulation in a hurried manner within one day, when the accused persons of the South Group were camping in Delhi and holding meetings with his close associate Vijay Nair," the CBI said.

The officials from the central agency told the court that Kejriwal evaded questions on meetings of his associate Vijay Nair with stakeholders of the liquor business in Delhi and that he was unable to give a proper explanation about his meeting with Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, and Arjun Pandey and Mootha Gautham, both accused in the case.

In the application levelling the allegation, the CBI stated, "He, being a prominent politician and chief minister of Delhi, is a very influential person, as such, there are credible reasons to believe that, he may influence the witnesses and evidences already exposed before him during the custodial interrogation and also the potential witnesses, who are yet to be examined, tamper with the evidence to be further collected and may hamper the ongoing investigation." Kejriwal and AAP have maintained that the Centre has been misusing its agencies.

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