Delhi Excise Scam Case: CBI formally arrests Kejriwal

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from the courtroom, in connection with the Excise policy case. The arrest was made after the Vacation Judge of Delhi Court allowed CBI to interrogate him in the courtroom so that the agency could proceed with his formal arrest.

The court also asked CBI to place on record the material that they have for his arrest.

Kejriwal was produced before the court of vacation judge Amitabh Rawat on Wednesday. During the hearing, Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal, AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and AAP leader Dilip Pandey remained present in the courtroom.

CBI's Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh extensively argued and opposed submissions by Kejriwal's lawyer.

The advocate also moved an application seeking a supply of applications for interrogation by CBI and the order passed related to that. Yesterday, Kejriwal recorded his statement related to the Excise Policy case in Tihar Jail. 

He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the Excise Policy money laundering case on March 21 this year and presently in Judicial Custody in the case.

Aam Aadmi Party lawyer RishiKesh Kumar posted on X, and said that, "The dirty tricks of the Modi government fears the release of @ArvindKejriwal by SC has asked to CBI to make arrest in the same matter almost a year after he joined the investigation. What it shows nothing changed the vindictive mindset of BJP Shame."

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bail order passed by the trial court, saying that the trial court should have at least recorded its satisfaction with the fulfilment of twin conditions of section 45 of Prevention of the Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before passing the impugned order.

The vacation bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain, while passing the order, said that documents and arguments were not appreciated properly by the trial court.

On June 20, the trial judge granted bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case. The next day, the ED moved an urgent petition before the High Court challenging the bail order. The High Court heard both sides extensively reserve orders on the ED's application to stay the bail order and halted the release of Kejriwal until the pronouncement of its order. ANI