New Delhi
Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi has argued convincingly for his client, stating that politics heavily influences the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by both the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam, and criticizing the prosecution’s unconventional approach.
During a private conversation with NDTV on Friday, Mr. Singhvi further suggested that the CBI’s arrest of the AAP leader immediately after he was released on bail in the ED case is evidence of political influence, and he even coined a new term for such actions: “insurance arrest”.
The remarks made by the Congress leader came shortly after the Supreme Court released Mr Kejriwal on bail in the case being looked into by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The chief minister will continue to be in prison as he has not received any respite in the CBI’s case.
After being told that the accused were previously arrested by both CBI and ED, Mr. Singhvi countered, “Certainly, but repetition doesn’t justify correctness.”
Ponder on four dates and four truths exclusively for your own reflection. Being a lawyer is not necessary. The alleged liquor scam begins with paperwork that was officially filed in the middle of 2022. One year later in mid-2023, Mr Kejriwal undergoes a nine-hour interrogation by the CBI. “He is taken into custody by the ED after the election is declared in March 2024 and later by the CBI in June 2024 while still in custody,” he explained.
The senior lawyer contended that the primary accusation in the case was brought by the CBI, and the circumstances in both agencies’ cases were alike, prompting the query of why Mr Kejriwal had to be arrested individually.
“Is he likely to flee, is he attempting to escape, is he obstructing witnesses? What was the reason for his arrest in June? He said this is simply a clear example of bad faith on a large scale, politics on a large scale.
He noted that the CBI interrogated Mr. Kejriwal for nine hours in 2023 but not again, suggesting the chief minister’s arrest in June seemed like a precautionary measure by the agencies due to the weak case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The investigation by the CBI is still in progress. Indeed, our case in the CBI case is stronger as there is no possibility of the defendant fleeing. However, the government and the prosecutor both understand that the punishment lies in the process. They are postponing it, they carry out an insurance seizure. I begin at the bottom of the ladder, then proceed to the high court and Supreme Court to seek relief. However, you have successfully accomplished your goal. You have extended the time spent in jail by a few weeks… He stated that this is not the method of prosecutors, nor is it the method of persecutors.
Mr Singhvi pointed out that according to the Supreme Court order, the bench had also mentioned that simply questioning someone is not a requirement for making an arrest.
