Page 8 - The Indian EYE 070524

NATION JULY 05, 2024 | The Indian Eye 8

DELHI CHIEF MINISTER

From ED to CBI net: Arvind

Kejriwal’s problems compound as

courts refuse to give him relief

Arvind Kejriwal on Monday approached the Delhi High Court against his arrest by the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) in Excise Policy case and alleged that CBI acted with malice, creating a false basis for arrest

OUR BUREAU
New Delhi
n a major setback, the Rouse Av-
enue court on Monday denied
IChief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
two additional meetings with his law-
yers through video conferencing (VC)
from Tihar Jail. Kejriwal is in judicial
custody in the Delhi Excise Policy case.
Special judge Kaveri Baweja dis-
missed the application moved on be-
half of Kejriwal.
He had moved an application
seeking directions to the jail author-
ities for granting two additional meet-
ings with his lawyers through VC.
The special judge said, “Learned
counsel for applicant has failed to
convince the court as to how the ap-
plicant is entitled to two additional Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and supporters stage a protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and party Convenor Arvind Kejriwal by
legal meetings through VC on the
same grounds which have been dis- CBI, in New Delhi on Saturday (ANI Photo/Ritik Jain)
cussed and dealt with in the earlier
order. There appears to be no reason ation. The application is accordingly pecially considering the investigation Delhi High Court.
whatsoever to take a different view on dismissed,” the Court ordered on July 1. has been ongoing for two years, stated The Bench of Justice Neena Ban-
the basis of the contents of the appli- It was submitted that Kejriwal is Arvind Kejriwal in his plea before the sal Krishna is scheduled to hear the
cation under consideration.” facing about 30 litigations through- Delhi High Court. matter on Tuesday.
It also said that it is not in dispute out the country and requires two Kejriwal’s plea further stated The Rouse Avenue Court of
that a similar application filed by the additional meetings with his lawyers that his arrest was allegedly based on Delhi on June 29, sent Delhi Chief
applicant seeking the same relief of through VC to discuss the cases and material in CBI’s possession before Minister Arvind Kejriwal to Judicial
additional legal meetings with his law- claim his right to fair trial. June 4, adding that arrest on previ- custody in connection with the Excise
yers was dismissed by this court vide a The counsel for Kejriwal also ously available material is illegal as policy case on Saturday.
detailed order of April 10, 2024. submitted that, after filing this appli- it involves re-evaluation, which is not The CBI alleged that during the
The Court observed, “The appli- cation, the applicant has been arrest- permitted by law. police custody remand, the accused
cation under consideration discloses ed in one more case by the CBI. CBI has not presented any new Arvind Kejriwal has been examined/
no new/fresh ground to take a view Further, co-accused Sanjay Singh material obtained after June 4, to interrogated. However, he did not
different from the earlier order dated was allowed additional legal meetings justify the investigation or arrest. The cooperate with the investigation and
April 10, 2024. The order dated Feb- by an order of February 22, 2024. arrest was allegedly based on my re- deliberately gave evasive replies con-
ruary 22, 2024, and relief granted to Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal on sponses, which is not a valid ground, trary to the evidence on record.
co-accused Sanjay Singh have already Monday approached the Delhi High Kejriwal stated in his plea. On being confronted with the ev-
been discussed and differentiated in Court against his arrest by the Central CBI received permission to in- idence, he did not give a proper and
the order dated April 10, 2024.” Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Ex- vestigate under Section 17A of the truthful explanation regarding the
Thus, having considered the sub- cise Policy case and alleged that CBI Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, enhancement of the profit margin for
missions made and the observations acted with malice, creating a false ba- only on April 23. CBI has not shown wholesalers from 5 per cent to 12 per
already made in the order of April 10, sis for arrest. any evidence obtained after April 23, cent under new Excise Policy of Delhi
2024, I see no reason whatsoever to No proper justification or rea- justifying the arrest under Section 41 2021-22, without any study or justifi-
allow the application under consider- soning was provided for the arrest, es- (1)(b)(ii), he stated in his plea before cation, said CBI.

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