ED says accused non-cooperative, cites compliance with statutory requirements in Kejriwal’s arrest

New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) – The Enforcement Directorate (ED) produced Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in court and sought custody, stating compliance with statutory requirements in his arrest related to a money laundering case. Kejriwal was remanded to six days of ED custody.

During the court appearance, Kejriwal’s lawyer questioned the arrest’s legality and necessity. The ED maintained that the investigation followed legal requirements, referring to a Supreme Court case. Kejriwal was accused of being the main conspirator in an excise scam involving Delhi government officials and AAP leaders.

The ED’s application sought custody for 10 days under the PMLA, connected to a CBI probe into irregularities in the excise policy. Kejriwal’s defence argued against custody, claiming political motivation and lack of evidence. They disputed the allegations of money laundering and coercion tactics used by the ED.

The ED defended the arrest, stating that an accused can be implicated under the PMLA without formal charges in the predicate offence. They presented evidence linking Kejriwal to the scam and argued the necessity of custodial interrogation for confronting him with digital evidence. The court granted ED custody with limited access to legal counsel and family members for Kejriwal.