Excise ‘scam’: Delhi court extends judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal, Sisodia, Kavitha

PTI, May 7, 2024, 7:17 PM IST

A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his party colleague Manish Sisodia and BRS leader K Kavitha in cases related to the alleged excise scam.

Special judge for CBI and ED matters Kaveri Baweja extended Kejriwal’s custody till May 20 in the money laundering case linked to the alleged scam being probed by the ED, after he was produced before the court through a video-conference on the expiry of his remand granted earlier.

The judge also extended the judicial custody of Sisodia till May 15 in a related corruption case being probed by the CBI.

The judge fixed May 15 for further arguments on framing of charges in the corruption case against Sisodia.

The court, meanwhile, extended till May 14 the judicial custody of Kavitha in the money laundering case, while her JC in the corruption case was extended till May 20.

The judge extended the custody of the Telangana MLC after she was produced before the court on expiry of her remand.

During the proceedings, the Enforcement Directorate told the court the investigation was at a crucial stage and it is likely to file a charge sheet against Kavitha within a week.

The judge also extended the judicial custody of co-accused Chanpreet Singh till May 20 in the money laundering case.

Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody.

The court had on April 30 court dismissed the bail pleas of Sisodia in corruption and money laundering cases, lodged by the CBI and the ED.

It had on May 6 dismissed the bail applications filed by Kavitha in corruption and money laundering cases.

The matter pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.