The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy scam case.
The arrest was made following an order from Special Judge Amitabh Rawat at Rouse Avenue, allowing the CBI to formalise its action in the alleged excise scam.
The probe agency had interrogated Kejriwal inside Tihar Jail on Tuesday evening.
The CBI’s application for arrest came after Kejriwal was brought before the court from Tihar Central Jail on Wednesday.
During the court proceedings, Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh, representing the CBI, said, “I got permission under the PC Act on April 23, 2024. Due to ongoing elections and his interim bail, we refrained from conducting further investigation.”
“All the money is in cash, we could identify 44 odd crores of trail and how the money went to Goa and how it was used. Chanpreet is providing funds for the elections, as well as for the vendors in Goa and even for the Chief Minister’s accommodation there,” Singh stated.
Following the CBI’s arrest, Kejriwal withdrew his plea challenging the Delhi High Court’s order granting an interim stay on the trial court’s bail order in the alleged excise scam from the Supreme Court.
A vacation bench of Justices Manoj Misra and SVN Bhatti, which allowed Kejriwal to withdraw his plea, was told by the AAP leader’s counsel senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi that since the high court has passed a detailed order on June 25, he would like to file a substantial appeal.
Singhvi informed the bench that new developments were taking place every day and Kejriwal has now been arrested by the CBI.
“We would like to file a substantial appeal to bring on record all relevant details and challenge the June 25 order of the high court in which bail order was finally stayed,” Singhvi said.
The AAP chief has been lodged in Tihar since his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in the case. He was briefly out on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court on May 10 to campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. His interim bail expired on June 1, after which he was required to return to Tihar on June 2.
With inputs from News18
