The Enforcement Directorate told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the conduct of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal satisfied the investigating officer that he was guilty of money laundering. The investigating agency further said that Kejriwal was arrested only after the Delhi High Court refused to grant interim relief.
The ED further told the court in its affidavit that despite being summoned nine times, the AAP chief continued to avoid questioning by not appearing before the agency.
ED said it is ready to disclose the material which formed the basis of the arrest. The affidavit filed in the top court said that around 170 mobile phones were altered and destroyed by 36 persons during the period of the scam.
ED said Kejriwal’s petition challenging his arrest has no merit and should be dismissed. And the material which formed the basis of the investigating officer’s satisfaction for arresting him was seen by various courts.
The agency said Kejriwal’s petition is not a petition seeking his release on bail after the completion of the investigation, but an appeal against the rejection of a writ petition challenging his arrest during the pendency of the investigation, when the prosecution’s complaint Has not been filed yet.
Kejriwal is currently lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody. On April 15, the apex court had sought response from the ED by April 24 on a plea challenging his arrest in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.