Excise policy case: Arvind Kejriwal to move Supreme Court against Delhi HC order

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is set to appeal to the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court’s decision to dismiss his plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Excise Policy money laundering case, as per sources on Tuesday. The Aam Aadmi Party reportedly disagrees with the Delhi High Court’s ruling.

The Delhi High Court had ruled on Tuesday that Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate was lawful and could not be considered “illegal.” Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma’s bench stated that the ED had sufficient evidence to justify Kejriwal’s arrest, citing his failure to cooperate with the investigation and the delays caused by him, which also affected individuals in judicial custody.

Based on the material collected by the Enforcement Directorate, it was revealed that Arvind Kejriwal allegedly conspired and actively participated in the use and concealment of proceeds of crime. The ED’s case indicated his involvement both in his personal capacity and as the convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party.

The court emphasized that the legality of Kejriwal’s arrest and remand should be evaluated according to the law and not based on the timing of elections. The court dismissed Kejriwal’s argument challenging the timing of his arrest before the general elections, stating that there was no malice on the part of the ED.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in connection with the excise policy case. The trial court subsequently remanded him to judicial custody until April 15, 2024. The ED alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was the primary beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the alleged liquor scam and that Kejriwal was directly involved in formulating the excise policy.

The case revolves around alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy 2022, which was later scrapped.