Excise policy case: Delhi court takes cognizance of ED’s supplementary charge sheet against CM Kejriwal

NEW DELHI, JULY 9 : Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday took cognizance of the supplementary charge sheet filed against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case.

The court has also taken cognizance of the supplementary charge sheet filed against Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur.

Special judge Kaveri Baweja took cognizance of the charge sheets and issued production warrants for Arvind Kejriwal, Vinod Chauhan and AAP through Kejriwal. Summons through IO have been issued to Ashish Mathur.

The matter has been listed for July 12 for the production of Arvind Kejriwal and Vinod Chauhan.

hese are the seventh and eighth supplementary charge sheets in the money laundering case linked to the Delhi Excise policy.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (charge sheet) against Arvind Kejriwal and AAP 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, the ED arrested Manish Sisodia, BRS leader K Kavitha, Sanjay Singh, Arvind Kejriwal and other bussinessmen.

Opposing the bail plea of Arvind Kejriwal, ASG S V Raju had submitted that there is evidence that Kejriwal demanded a bribe of Rs. 100 crores, which went to the AAP for 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 Rs 45 crore, approximately, 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 of witnesses who worked on the AAP campaign in Goa who received cash from one Sh Chanpreet Singh who was working for the AAP campaign in Goa.

While opposing the bail application, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju submitted that bribe money was sent for the Goa election by Hawala transactions, and Arvind Kejriwal was in touch with Angadiya (Hawala dealers). The bribe money was sent by Vinod Chauhan and it was received by Chanpreet Singh Rayat, who was handling the AAP election 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 SV 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 has been recovered from Vinod Chauhan.

It was also submitted that Section 70 of PMLA directly applies to Kejriwal as he is in charge of AAP, which is a company in terms of Section 70 of PMLA, ASG contended.

Kejriwal is the national convenor of AAP and is in charge of the affairs of the party, ASG said.

-PTI