Liquor Policy Case: No Relief To Arvind Kejriwal From Delhi High Court, ED Custody Ends Tomorrow

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (27 March) did not grant any relief to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on his plea challenging the arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and six days remand.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma instead issued notice to the law enforcement agency and asked it to file its response by 2 April. The next hearing is scheduled for 3 April.

Representing the ED, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju argued that they needed time to file the reply because Kejriwal's counsel gave them the petition copy at the last minute, LiveLaw reported.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in the liquor policy case on 21 March after he skipped nine summons issued by the agency in the case. He was then sent to ED custody till 28 March.

At the end of his remand, he will be presented before the Rouse Avenue Court tomorrow. The ED told the court in the previous hearing that Kejriwal was the "kingpin" and "key conspirator" in the case.

The agency claimed Kejriwal was the middleman between the 'south group' and other accused, including ex-Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia (arrested last year) and AAP officer Vijay Nair.

According to the agency, the total proceeds of the alleged scam exceeded Rs 600 crore, including Rs 100 crore allegedly paid by the 'south group'.

The South Group, the agency has claimed, includes Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha, who is in judicial custody till 9 April for conspiring with the top leaders of AAP for the now scrapped policy.