A division bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, however, issued notice to the ED on Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest and seeking release from custody.
Appearing on behalf of Kejriwal, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi pleaded the bench for a short date. Singhvi argued that it is an “unusual case” not just because he is a CM. Singhvi urged the bench to post the matter for resumed hearing on Friday.
The bench, however, turned down the request, adjourning the case to the week commencing April 29. Singhvi also alleged that there have been “selective leaks” in the media.
The bench verbally observed that they “know the facts” and have “gone through the case”. It advised Singhvi to “reserve” his arguments for “next day”. The bench asked ED to file its reply by April 24 and rejoinder, if any, by Kejriwal on or before April 27.
Rejecting Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court had earlier this month relied on statements of witnesses, hawala operators, accused-turned approvers, national treasurer of AAP and significantly an AAP candidate for 2022 Goa elections, who has been identified only as X.Slamming Kejriwal’s conduct, the high court had said he “himself delayed the investigation to the point of time of his arrest”.Dismissing Kejriwal’s charge on the timing of his arrest, the high court ruled that the Delhi CM “was not summoned for the first time after general elections were declared in India or the Model Code of Conduct came into existence, but the first summons was sent to him as far back as in October 2023”.
The high court, in its verdict, said ED had placed on record “enough material”, which “reveals Arvind Kejriwal allegedly conspired and was actively involved in use and concealment of proceeds of crime”.
In a related development, a local court remanded BRS leader K Kavitha to judicial custody after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) refused to seek her further custodial interrogation. Kavitha was arrested by the CBI from Tihar jail, where she was lodged following her arrest by the ED for her alleged involvement in the Delhi excise scandal. Kavitha has denied the allegations against her.