Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday alleged a 'political conspiracy' behind his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, in connection with the alleged irregularities in the liquor policy case.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo's remarks came as he was brought to the courtroom in Rouse Avenue court, as his custody with the Enforcement Directorate came to an end today.
AAP ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai and Saurabh Bharadwaj along with the Chief Minister's wife Sunita Kejriwal were inside the court.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and was subsequently remanded to the probe agency's custody till March 28 by a Delhi court.
Court sources said the Enforcement Directorate was likely to seek an extension of the Chief Minister's custodial remand.
On Wednesday, the Aam Aadmi Party supremo was denied immediate relief from the Delhi High Court, which said it would not interfere with his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate.
In its initial prosecution complaint filed in November 2021, the Enforcement Directorate stated that the policy was intentionally designed with loopholes, facilitating the formation of cartels clandestinely to favour AAP leaders.
Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate accused AAP leaders of receiving kickbacks from a group of individuals referred to as the "South Group."
The case originated from a report presented by Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena in July 2022, highlighting purported procedural deficiencies in the development of the policy.
