‘I deserve immediate release’, Kejriwal said – ED adopted arbitrary method in investigating the excise duty policy case

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told the Supreme Court on Saturday that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken action in a “very harsh manner” in the money-laundering case related to the alleged excise duty policy scam. In reply to the ED’s counter affidavit filed on the petition challenging his arrest in the case, Kejriwal said he has always cooperated in the investigation. The Aam Aadmi Party leader said that the ED has said in its counter affidavit filed in the apex court that one of the reasons for his arrest was that he had not appeared before the investigating officer despite being summoned nine times.

Kejriwal said- ED’s action is “fake and blatant lie”

Kejriwal said that the ED in its reply has said that in such a case, the investigating officer was justified in taking the view that custodial interrogation would enable proper interrogation of the accused. “The ED has acted in a very arbitrary manner in blatant disregard of due process of law,” he said. Kejriwal claimed that looking at the ED’s stand in its response as a whole would expose the “false and blatant lies” in its entire proceedings.

CM said- every summons was duly replied

He said the records would show that every summons issued to him was duly replied to while seeking important details and information, which cannot be claimed by the ED as privileged or confidential under any circumstances. Kejriwal claimed that the ED has never disclosed his alleged non-cooperation. He said, “What was the need for not calling the petitioner (Kejriwal) through any authorized agent or asking for information or documents from him in writing or through virtual mode and insisting on his presence in person is not on record.” is coming.”

ED had claimed that Kejriwal was the main conspirator of the scam.

The AAP leader said his plea was acceptable and he deserved to be released immediately. In its counter affidavit filed in the apex court earlier this week, the ED has claimed that Kejriwal is the “kingpin and main conspirator” of the excise duty policy scam and the arrest of a person for a crime on the basis of documentation can never be “independent and Cannot violate the concept of fair elections.”

The ED also claimed that Kejriwal worked in collusion with his ministers and party leaders and was also involved in demanding bribes from liquor businessmen in return for benefits given in the policy. Terming Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest as “meritless” and liable to be dismissed, the ED has said the documents which formed the basis of the investigating officer’s satisfaction for arresting him had been perused by several courts.

The ED had arrested Kejriwal on March 21 after the Delhi High Court refused to grant him protection from punitive action by the federal anti-money laundering agency. He is currently lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody. On April 15, the apex court issued a notice to the ED and sought its response on Kejriwal’s petition. The high court had on April 9 upheld Kejriwal’s arrest in the money laundering case, saying there was no illegality in it and that the ED was left with “little option” after repeatedly issuing summons and refusing to join the investigation. Was. The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was later cancelled.