Kejriwal sent to 6 days ED custody in liquor police case, agency terms him scam 'kingpin'

New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) A special court on Friday sent arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to six days ED custody, till March 28, in a money laundering case related to the liquor policy scam.

The ED, which arrested him on Thursday evening after questioning him for two hours at his official residence, had sought 10 days custody, terming him the kingpin and the key conspirator of the alleged excise scam in collusion with other ministers of the Delhi government, AAP leaders, and other persons.

Kejriwal was produced before Special Judge Kaweri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court on Friday morning after being kept overnight at the ED office on A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Road.

The ED claimed that Kejriwal was involved in the conspiracy of formulation of the Excise Policy 2021-22 to favour certain persons and also involved in demanding kickbacks from liquor businessmen in exchange for favours being granted in the said policy.

It also alleged that Kejriwal was involved in the "use of proceeds of crime thus generated in the Goa election campaign of the AAP to which he is the Convenor and the ultimate decision maker".

The "Excise Policy 2021-22" was being drafted considering the favours to be granted to the "South Group" and was formed in collusion with co-accused Vijay Nair, then Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and members-representatives of the 'South Group'.

Kejriwal had allegedly demanded kickbacks from the South Group in exchange for awarding favours to them in the formulation and implementation of the policy.

Nair, on behalf of Kejriwal and AAP, received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 crore from the South Group, whose prominent persons are Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Raghav Magunta, Sarath Reddy, and BRS leader K. Kavitha.

As per the investigation done so far, the ED, in its remand application, termed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) the major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime and claimed that the proceeds of crime of about approximately Rs 45 crore, which was part of the bribes received from the South Group, were used in the election campaign of the AAP in Goa in 2021-22.

On examining the money trail backwards, the federal agency said, it was revealed that the money which was transferred to Goa came from 4 routes -- approximately in sums of Rs. 12 crore, Rs 7.1 crore, Rs 16 crore, Rs 7.5 crore, and Rs 2 crore.

It said that statements of various persons engaged in the election campaign-related activities by the AAP in Goa have revealed that cash payments were made to them for their work done as survey workers, area managers, assembly managers etc.

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