A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha till May 7 in connection with the liquor policy case, Live Law reported.
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in connection with the case. He was sent to Delhi’s Tihar jail on April 1. Kavitha, who is the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was arrested by the central law enforcement agency on March 15. She was then taken into custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation on April 11.
On Tuesday, Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Courts directed the Tihar jail authorities to ensure that Kejriwal and Kavitha are presented before the court through video conference on May 07.
A day earlier, the trial court had said that it would pronounce its order regarding Kavitha’s bail application in connection with her arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation on May 2.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal had on April 10 moved the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court rejected his petition against his arrest in the case. The High Court, while rejecting the petition, had said that the material collected by the Enforcement Directorate showed that the Aam Aadmi Party leader was actively involved in the use and concealment of the proceeds of crime.
On April 15, the Supreme Court had sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate by April 24 on the petition filed by Kejriwal against his arrest. It also listed the matter for hearing on April 29.
The central agencies are investigating charges of money laundering based on a first information report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The two central agencies have alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government modified Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor excise policy by increasing the commission of wholesalers from 5% to 12%. This allegedly facilitated the receipt of bribes from wholesalers who had a substantial market share and turnover.
The Enforcement Directorate has also alleged that Telangana MLC Kavitha, among others, conspired with senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Kejriwal, to secure favours in the formulation and implementation of the policy.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader is alleged to be a part of the so-called South Group that paid “Rs 100 crore to the leaders of AAP” in exchange for favours related to the policy through businessman Vijay Nair.
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