Liquor policy case: ED claims proof of Arvind Kejriwal asking Rs 100 crore as kickbacks

The Enforcement Directorate told Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court that it had evidence of Arvind Kejriwal demanding Rs 100 crore as kickbacks in the now withdrawn liquor policy case.

Meanwhile, the court, on June 19 extended Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's judicial custody till July 3. It was hearing Kejriwal's petition seeking regular bail.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju said the court took cognisance of the chargesheet filed on the allegation of money laundering in the case, further stating that the rejection of the bail application of former Delhi minister Manish Sisodia in the money laundering case showed that the court was accepting the charge of money laundering.

"The court's cognisance of money laundering shows that prima facie the court is convinced that a case of money laundering is made here. The CBI probe revealed that Kejriwal had demanded a bribe of Rs 100 crore. We had collected evidence even before the arrest," ASG Raju, representing the ED, said, according to media reports. 

While the Delhi Chief Minister was produced before the court through video conference, his lawyer Vikram Chaudhary argued that Kejriwal had not been named in any chargesheet filed under PMLA and that he has not been named as an accused even in the FIR lodged by the CBI.

"Whatever allegations the ED is making, it seems that they are prosecuting me not under the PMLA but in the CBI case," he further said, pointing that the Supreme Court in its order on May 10, had said that Kejriwal could file a bail petition in the lower court.

Furthermore, Kejriwal's lawyer said that the case was based only on the statements of witnesses who were arrested earlier, and were promised bail.