‘Arvind Kejriwal didn’t share passwords’: 10 takeaways from ED’s remand application

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Enforcement Directorate custody was today extended till April 15. He was arrested last month in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case.

The Enforcement Directorate claimed in its remand application that Arvind Kejriwal was misleading the agency. It said it was still investigating the chief minister’s role in the scam.

Here’s what ED told the court after Arvind Kejriwal’s questioning:

In its remand application, the Enforcement Directorate said Arvind Kejriwal gave evasive replies and concealed information. It said the chief minister’s statements were taken over a period of nine days and he was confronted with the statements of different witnesses, approvers and other co-accused.

The Enforcement Directorate also gave a few examples. It said Arvind Kejriwal claimed that Vijay Nair did not report to him but to Aatishi Marlena and Saurav Bharadwaj. The agency claimed co-accused Vijay Nair said in his statements that he stayed in the chief minister’s bungalow and worked from his office.

“It was also put to the arrestee to explain that why would someone, who reported to other leaders of AAP, work from his camp office which anyways is meant for the work of the CM of Delhi and not for the party. Kejriwal evaded replying to this by claiming unawareness to the persons who work at the CM camp office,” it said.

The Enforcement Directorate claimed Arvind Kejriwal didn’t answer questions on the authenticity of digital evidence shown to him. Arvind Kejriwal didn’t reveal the passwords of his mobile devices, said the agency. “The arrestee (Kejriwal) has not answered the questions posed to him by questioning the authenticity of digital evidence shown to him. The arrestee also did not reveal the passwords of his digital devices which inhibits the evidence collection and also shows his non-cooperation,” it said. Vijay Nair is a worker in the AAP. He is also a co-accused in the liquor policy case.

“It was put to the arrestee to explain the authority with which Nair attended these meetings, the arrestee evaded the question by claiming unawareness of these persons and it is clear that a senior functionary like Nair who closely worked with the arrestee wouldn’t be able to assert himself without the sanction and approval of the head of the party. This is also because the ultimate benefit of these conspiracies or meetings was reaped by the AAP in the Goa election campaign,” the remand application added.

The remand application said Arvind Kejriwal was shown proof of hawala transfers of around ₹45 crore. It claimed it had corroborated the payments with CDR locations, call records and WhatsApp chats. “Even after showing all the above evidence, the arrestee claimed unawareness even though the beneficiary of these funds is the AAP which is headed by him,” it said.

“The arrestee (Kejriwal) has even given false and contrary evidence vis-a-vis other members of the AAP. When he was confronted with the statements given by his own party leaders he called them confused.”

The Enforcement Directorate claimed that Arvind Kejriwal told the agency that N D Gupta, also a Rajya Sabha member of the AAP, is an “active member of the party and is a member of the PAC and has knowledge of the party functioning but when confronted with the statement of Sh N D Gupta wherein he (Gupta) reveals that the national convenor takes such decisions, Sh Arvind Kejriwal calls the National Treasurer confused.”

The agency claimed that Nair, who was arrested by the agency, “arranged a video call through facetime (a video calling facility on iPhone) on his phone for Sameer (Mahandru) and Sh Arvind Kejriwal, where Sh Arvind said to Sh Sameer that, Vijay is his boy and that Sh Sameer should trust him and carry on with him”. Sameer Mahandru, a liquor businessman was also arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.

The remand application said the extension should be granted on the grounds that he was “highly influential” and can tamper with evidence. “That the department (ED) is still further investigating the role of the arrestee in the instant matter and is unearthing the further proceeds of crime and identifying the other persons who are involved or connected with the process or activities related to proceeds of crime,” it said.