Arvind Kejriwal arrest: Arvind Kejriwal sent to judicial custody in excise policy case till April 15 | 10 points

Delhi excise policy news: Enforcement Directorate sought 15-day judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal, saying he was “totally uncooperative”.

Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Monday, April 1, sent chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till April 15 in a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. Arvind Kejriwal was produced in the court of special judge Kaveri Baweja after his Enforcement Directorate custody came to an end.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (File photo.)

The Enforcement Directorate had sought 15-day judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal, saying he was “totally uncooperative”.

Speaking to reporters before entering court, the AAP leader said, "Whatever the prime minister is doing(referring to his arrest) is not good for the country".

The Aam Aadmi Party national convenor has also filed a petition in the Delhi high court challenging his arrest, alleging that the investigating agency infringed upon his fundamental rights. The court has served a notice to the ED, requesting a response by April 2. The hearing is set to continue on April 3.

The hearing comes a day after top leaders of the INDIA bloc on Sunday came together at the 'Loktantra Bachao' (Save Democracy) rally at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital, the first such show of strength by the opposition after the announcement of Lok Sabha polls, and slammed the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and gave a fervent call to the alliance partners to unite in national interest.

Latest updates on Arvind Kejriwal's hearing in Delhi court

1. Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Courts passed the order after the ED did not seek further remand. "We are asking for judicial custody, subject to the right of asking further custody as per SC judgment in Senthil Balaji case," the ED counsel said.
2. AAP ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal were present in the court.
3. On March 28, the Rouse Avenue Court extended the Enforcement Directorate custody of Arvind Kejriwal till April 1, saying the agency provided “sufficient reasons”, such as the need for him to be confronted with material collected and statements recorded, to permit his further custodial interrogation.
4. The ED said Arvind Kejriwal's statements were recorded over five days but he was “evasive” in his response.
5. In a heated exchange during the hearing, Arvind Kejriwal, who himself addressed the court, said there were only four statements, including C Arvind, where he claimed that “he gave some documentation to Manish Sisodia in my presence”.
6. "Several bureaucrats and MLAs came regularly to my home. Are these four statements made by different people sufficient to arrest a sitting Chief Minister?" Arvind Kejriwal said.
7. The court noted the ED's submissions that the chief minister also needed to be confronted with the data extracted from digital devices along with some other details.
8. During the hearing, Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Gopal Rai remained present in the courtroom. Arvind Kejriwal's wife, Sunita Kejriwal, and two children also attended the court proceedings.
9. Appearing for the ED, additional solicitor general SV Raju sought time to file a detailed reply in the matter and alleged that “they deliberately didn't serve us a copy so that we were not prepared”.
10. Sunita Kejriwal on Thursday claimed Arvind Kejriwal was not keeping well and is being "harassed a lot". Sunita Kejriwal said, “He has not been keeping well. His sugar levels are fluctuating. He is being harassed a lot. This tyranny won't last and people will give a reply.”