Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (File).
New Delhi:
In a brief but significant departure from legal norms, Arvind Kejriwal – who this morning went from anticipating release on bail to being arrested again, this time by the CBI – addressed Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court directly to fend off claims he tried to evade blame for the alleged liquor policy scam.
Mr Kejriwal – first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March, in connection with charges he orchestrated the sale of liquor licences for Rs 100 crore used to fund the Punjab and Goa election campaigns – spoke up to deny reports he sought to blame Manish Sisodia, his former deputy.
Mr Sisodia was arrested by the ED in February last year and remains in jail.
“A false narrative is being spread by CBI sources in the media – that I put the blame of the liquor policy scam on Sisodiaji. I did not make any such statement blaming him or any other person.”
“I had said Sisodiaji is innocent… Aam Aadmi Party is innocent… and I am innocent. But CBI’s plan is to malign us in the media. Please record… CBI sources spread fake news,” Mr Kejriwal told the court.
The Delhi Chief Minister’s objections came after the CBI claimed in court he tried to pin the blame – specifically for recommending that liquor stores in the city be privatised – on his party colleague.
Ex-Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested in February last year (File).
Mr Kejriwal rubbished the CBI’s allegation.
“CBI is defaming me… defaming AAP. I am innocent and Sisodia ji is also innocent,” he said.
The significance of his speaking up was added to by the court, which held that the available evidence, including that presented by the prosecution, did not suggest such statements were made.
Mr Kejriwal then continued addressing the court, this time revealing what he told the federal agency last year; the AAP leader faced a nine-hour interrogation in August, when he was called as a witness.
READ | “CBI Asked 56 Questions…”: Kejriwal After 9-Hour Questioning
“I told them (the CBI) there were three points. First – increase revenue. Second – reduce crowds to handle law and order. Third – open liquor shops in right proportion (i.e., equal distribution across the city),” he told the Rouse Avenue Court.
On communication with Mr Sisodia, the Chief Minister said, “I gave instructions to Manish Sisodia to keep these three things in mind in the policy.”
“Unnecessary Allegations”, Says CBI
Meanwhile, responding to arguments made by Arvind Kejriwal’s lawyers, the federal agency told the court it could have acted against the Delhi Chief Minister at any time, “even during elections”.
However, it chose to, the CBI said, to act only with permission of the court.
Mr Kejriwal’s lawyers had criticised the agency for acting when it did, pointing out it had done nothing since grilling their client last year. “This case is pending since August. I was called as a witness… I appeared and, for nine hours, I assisted. Not a single notice since then…”
No Bail, More Jail For Arvind Kejriwal
Mr Kejriwal faced an action-packed few hours this morning.
First, the Rouse Avenue Court allowed the CBI to arrest him, while in session, after first permitting the agency to conduct a preliminary interrogation. This was hours before his Supreme Court plea – challenging the High Court’s stay on bail given by a different bench of the Rouse Avenue Court.
READ | Kejriwal Arrested By CBI In City Court, Drops Bail Plea In Supreme Court
As it turned out, the CBI’s arrest of Mr Kejriwal – and handing the agency custody of the Chief Minister for five days – rendered that petition moot.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Mr Kejriwal in the top court, withdrew that petition – the ED offered no objection – citing a desire to launch a more substantial appeal at a later date.
READ | Near Release, Kejriwal’s Bail Paused Till New Court Decision
All of this built from events last week, when the ED filed a last-minute appeal with the High Court to stop Mr Kejriwal being released on bail, as ordered by a vacation bench of the Rouse Avenue Court.
The High Court then passed an oral directive to immediately pause the bail order and, on Monday, Mr Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court to overturn that stay. The top court declined to oblige. It did, though, acknowledge the High Court’s actions as “unusual”, but said it would wait for that court’s order.
READ | “What Happened Is Unusual”: Top Court On Kejriwal Bail Hearing
That order came Tuesday and it was bad news for Mr Kejriwal. The High Court upheld its interim stay on bail, arguing the lower court “didn’t apply its mind” when permitting the AAP leader to walk free.
READ | “Trial Court Didn’t Apply Its Mind”: Arvind Kejriwal To Stay In Jail
The Supreme Court was due to hear the next instalment of that saga – Mr Kejriwal’s appeal against the High Court’s final order – this afternoon. But those plans changed after the CBI arrested him.
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