Delhi Excise Policy Case: Supreme Court Questions ED Over Delay in Probe, Asks for Case Files Before Arvind Kejriwal’s Arrest

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, May 7, questioned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the delay in its probe into the excise policy-linked money laundering case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and asked the agency to produce case files before the arrest of the AAP leader. 

A bench comprising of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta also asked the ED to produce case files before and after the arrest of Delhi's former deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia, who is also accused.

The bench is hearing arguments on Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest by the ED in the case. It questioned the ED on the time taken to probe the case and noted that the agency has taken two years to unearth something The bench also asked why relevant direct questions were not put to witnesses and accused in the case. 

Also Read | Delhi High Court Seeks CBI and ED Response on Manish Sisodia’s Bail Plea in Alleged Excise Policy Scam.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the ED, said initially Kejriwal was not the focus of the investigation in the case, and his role became clear at a later stage. 

He said Kejriwal had stayed in a seven-star hotel during the 2022 Goa Assembly polls, and part of the bills were allegedly paid by the Delhi government's general administration department. Raju gave the bench a note in which he contradicted Kejriwal's submission that the statements of approvers were suppressed by the probe agency. 

The arguments in the matter are underway. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody.