New Delhi, Apr 15:
The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a plea by Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the agency and his subsequent remand in the money laundering case connected to the Delhi excise policy [Arvind Kejriwal vs Directorate of Enforcement].
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta sought the response of the central agency and posted the case for further hearing on April 29.
“Issue notice. returnable on April 24. Notice is accepted by the respondent who are presented in court on caveat. Reply to be filed on or before April 24 and rejoinder on or before April 27,” the Court directed.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, sought an earlier date but the Court posted the case for hearing next on April 29.
“This is an unusual matter. There are 15 statements (by witnesses), 10 by the same person.. one statement becomes..” he said. “Reserve arguments for next day,” the bench said.
Singhvi, however, proceeded to question the timing of Kejriwal’s arrest right before the Lok Sabha polls.
“Arrest on March 16 is about the timing after the case was registered long back..First round of polling is on April 19,” he said.
The bench said that it has read the petition and documents.
“We know the facts and we have gone through the paper books. You should not have argued after we issued notice,” the Court remarked before posting the case for April 29.
The plea by the Delhi Chief Minister before the apex court was filed after the Delhi High Court had recently dismissed his plea in connection with he matter, and opined that there was evidence to show that Kejriwal’s involvement in the scam.
Further, it had said that the money received as kickbacks was used for political campaigning in the 2022 Goa legislative assembly elections.
