A Delhi court has reserved its order on the bail plea of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case related to the now-scrapped excise policy. The court is expected to announce its decision on the bail plea soon.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), represented by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Raju, presented documentary evidence indicating that part of the alleged proceeds of crime was used to pay for Kejriwal’s stay at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Goa during the 2022 state elections. According to the ED, Rs 1.5 lakh was paid in installments by Charanpreet Singh, who allegedly managed AAP’s Goa poll funds. The agency claimed that Singh received around Rs 45 crore in cash from various hawala operators to support AAP’s election campaign in Goa.
The ED’s evidence includes witness statements from individuals such as Sagar Patel, corroborating the cash payments made to Charanpreet Singh, Prince Kumar, and Rajiv Mondkar for AAP’s Goa election expenses. The ED further argued that Kejriwal’s refusal to provide his phone password should be considered a ground for denying bail.
The central agency also opposed Kejriwal’s bail plea in relation to an alleged excise scam, accusing him of demanding a Rs 100 crore bribe from a group referred to as the South Group for his party. The ED stated that if AAP commits a crime, the person in charge of the party, in this case, Kejriwal, should be held responsible. The ED asserted that Kejriwal demanded kickbacks from the South Group and is culpable for the party’s actions.
Kejriwal’s counsel countered the ED’s arguments, stating that the case against him is based solely on statements from individuals who have confessed to their own involvement in the crime and are not credible. The defense argued that there is no concrete evidence linking Kejriwal to the alleged Rs 100 crore bribe and highlighted contradictions in the statements made by several co-accused.
As the court deliberates on the bail plea, Kejriwal remains in judicial custody, which has been extended until July 3. His legal team continues to challenge the justification for his continued incarceration, emphasizing the lack of substantial evidence against him.
