Probe against Kejriwal at nascent stage: Enforcement Directorate to HC

Enforcement Directorate opposes Arvind Kejriwal's plea challenging arrest in money laundering case, investigation at nascent stage.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday opposed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest and remand in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy-linked money laundering case, saying that its “investigation is at a nascent stage” as far as he was concerned.

“Today, as far as petitioner [Mr. Kejriwal] is concerned, investigation is not over. He has come [to court] at the beginning of investigation when he has just been arrested. Investigation is at a nascent stage,” additional solicitor general (ASG) S.V. Raju told Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who reserved judgment on Mr. Kejriwal’s plea.

During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek M. Singhvi, representing the Chief Minister, questioned the timing of arrest of the AAP national convenor ahead of an upcoming general election saying: “This case reeks of timing issues”.

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“If the first summon is October 30, 2023 in a liquor scam of early 2022 and arrest is of March 2024, then the timing reeks of basic structure issue, democracy issue, level playing field issue, free and fair election issue,” Mr. Singhvi argued.

Mr. Raju, appearing for the ED, objected to the allegations emphasising that the probe began in 2022 when there were no elections and the arrest was according to law.

“Take the case of a terrorist who is a politician who has blown up an army vehicle. He says I’ve to stand in the elections, so you can’t touch me. What kind of an argument is this?” Mr. Raju remarked adding “criminals are supposed to be arrested and put in jail”.