Excise policy: Delhi Court reserves order on Kejriwal's bail application

The Delhi court reserved its decision on an application seeking permission for Sunita Kejriwal to participate via video conference in CM Kejriwal's examination by the medical board

A Delhi court on Thursday reserved its order on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bail application in connection with alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped excise policy.

Special Judge Niyay Bindu reserved the order after hearing arguments from both the accused and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The court also reserved its decision on an application by Kejriwal seeking permission for his wife, Sunita Kejriwal, to participate via video conference in his examination by the medical board.

Judge Bindu heard the matter over two days (June 19-20) before reserving her orders. She had previously indicated a desire not to prolong the proceedings indefinitely, urging all counsel to present concise arguments.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju opposed Kejriwal's bail application, asserting that the ED possesses documentary evidence indicating that part of the proceeds of crime was used to fund the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor’s hotel stay in Goa during the assembly elections.

Raju claimed that telephone call records and call data records (CDR) show co-accused Chanpreet Singh, who allegedly managed funds for AAP's campaign in Goa, received ₹45 crore from various angadiyas (traditional couriers) and paid for Kejriwal's hotel stay in Goa.

Raju further argued that token numbers recovered from these angadiyas were directly linked to Kejriwal. He also stated that Kejriwal had close ties with co-accused Vinod Chauhan, who is alleged to have transferred cash bribes from the “South Group” to AAP during the Goa campaign.

The ED, on Wednesday, had contended that Kejriwal demanded a Rs 100 crore bribe from the South Group for his party, as alleged in their opposition to his bail application. The agency claimed that, despite the AAP not being initially named as an accused when former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was charged, the party has since been implicated.

The ED asserted that Kejriwal was responsible for the AAP's conduct.

"If AAP commits a crime, then every person in charge of the party will be deemed guilty," the ED told Special Judge Bindu.

The Delhi chief minister was produced before the court via video conference.

The court on Wednesday extended Kejriwal's judicial custody until July 3, after his previous custody period expired.

(With agency inputs)