Excise case: Court dismisses Kejriwal’s plea seeking more time with lawyers

New Delhi, Apr 10 (PTI) A Delhi court on Wednesday dismissed an application moved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, arrested in an excise scam matter, seeking more time with his lawyers.

Special judge for CBI and ED cases Kaveri Baweja dismissed the application, saying there was no sufficient grounds to grant the relief.

The ED had opposed Kejriwal’s application, saying special privileges cannot be extended to him merely because he wants to run the government from inside the jail.

Kejriwal’s counsel told the judge that multiple cases were pending against the politician and that one hour a week was insufficient for a person to understand and give instructions.

“This is the most basic legal right that I am asking to meet my advocate. Sanjay Singh was granted three meetings when he had only five or eight cases,” the counsel said.

The ED opposed Kejriwal’s prayer for five meetings with his lawyers every week, saying it was was against the jail manual.

The central probe agency told the court that Kejriwal was already allowed to have two meetings with his lawyers instead of one which is the general practice.

It alleged that legal interviews were being misused by Kejriwal for purposes other than consultation.

Kejriwal has issued some instructions on matters related to governance from behind bars. His Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has asserted he will run the government from jail.

The AAP leader had moved the application claiming that two meetings every week with his lawyers, as permitted by the court, were not sufficient since he was facing multiple cases in various states and needed more time for consultation.

The court had on April 1 sent Kejriwal to judicial custody till April 15 in the money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.

The ED has accused the AAP leader of being involved in the entire conspiracy of Delhi liquor scam, in drafting and implementation of the policy, receiving kickbacks and eventually using part of proceeds of crime generated out of the scheduled offence in the campaign for Goa Assembly elections.