Delhi Excise policy case: Court gives ED timeline to supply copies of supplementary charge sheets to accused

New Delhi [India], July 25 (ANI): The Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday gave a timeline to the Directorate of Enforcement to provide hard copies of up to 8th supplementary charge sheets to accused persons by July 31.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and K Kavitha were produced through video conferencing from Tihar Jail. The court has directed the jail authorities to produce the accused persons in custody through video conferencing on July 31.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh was exempted from the hearing as he is attending the Parliament Session.

Meanwhile, the court extended the judicial custody of CM Arvind Kejriwal in the CBI case till August 8. In this case, also he was produced virtually from the Tihar Jail. Special judge Kaveri Baweja directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to supply the hard copies of supplementary charge sheets to the accused persons and listed the matter on July 31.

Special public prosecutor (SPP) N K Matta appeared for ED and sought time for providing the hard copies of supplementary charge sheets. He said that the soft copies will be provided today.

Arvind Kejriwal was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on July 12. Earlier he was granted regular bail by the trial court on June 20. However, he is still in judicial custody in a CBI case linked to the Delhi Excise policy. On July 12, the court directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to supply a copy of the supplementary charge sheet to the counsel of Kejriwal and the other accused also.

National Secretary Pankaj Gupta had appeared for Aam Aadmi party before the court.

On the last day, another accused, Ashish Mathur, was granted bail on a bail bond of Rs 1 lakh. He was charge-sheeted without arrest by the ED.

On July 9, the court took Cognizance on supplementary charge sheet filed against Arvind Kejriwal and AAP. The court had also taken cognizance of the supplementary charge sheet filed against Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur. The court had taken Cognizance of the charge sheets and had issued production warrants for Arvind Kejriwal, Vinod Chauhan and AAP. Summons through IO were issued to Ashish Mathur.

Enforcement Directorate had filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (Charge sheet) against Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party on May 17. Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21. Another supplementary prosecution complaint was filed by the ED against Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur on July 1.

In this money laundering case, ED arrested Manish Sisodia, BRS leader K Kavitha, Sanjay Singh, Arvind Kejriwal and others including businessmen.

Opposing the bail plea of Arvind Kejriwal, ASG S V Raju submitted that there is evidence that Kejriwal demanded a bribe of Rs 100 crores, which went to the AAP for the Goa election campaign. It was also argued that Rs. 45 crores was sent by Vinod Chauhan to Chanpreet Singh through hawala dealers. Chanpreet Singh was looking after the AAP Goa election campaign.

The ED, while seeking remand, had submitted that the arrestee (Kejriwal ) was shown evidence of Hawala transfers to the tune of approximately Rs 45 crore, which is corroborated with CDR locations, call records, IT-seized data of Hawala firm in Goa, proof of payments being done in part cash and part bill and WhatsApp showing this arrangement.

He was also shown multiple statements from witnesses who worked on the AAP campaign in Goa and received cash from one Chanpreet Singh who was working for the AAP campaign in Goa.

While opposing the bail application Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju submitted that bribe money was sent for the Goa election by Hawala transaction and Arvind Kejriwal was in touch with Angadiya (Hawala dealers). The bribe money was sent by Vinod Chauhan and it was recieved by Chanpreet Singh Rayat who was handling the election of AAP in Goa.

ASG had also referred to the statement of Sagar Patel. As per the statement, three people received cash amount including Chanpreet Singh. ASG submitted that the Instructions were given by Vinod Chauhan to make payments to Chanpreet at Goa and others. The photo of the matching note (used for the Hawala transaction) has been found on the phone of Vinod Chauhan.

ASG S V Raju also submitted that Arvind Kejriwal was in touch with Vinod Chauhan through chats. Acknowledgement by Arvind Kejriwal to chats shows proximity with Vinod Chauhan. It was also submitted that Rs 1 crore had been recovered from Vinod Chauhan.

It was also submitted that Section 70 of PMLA directly applies to Kejriwal as he is the incharge of AAP which is a company in terms of Section 70 of PMLA, ASG contended. Kejriwal is the national convenor of AAP and in charge of the affairs of the party, ASG said.