Another Blow to Arvind Kejriwal, Court Rejects Plea Seeking More Time with Lawyers

Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday dismissed an application filed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is arrested in an excise scam matter, seeking more time with his lawyers.

Special judge for CBI and ED cases Kaveri Baweja dismissed the application, stating there were insufficient grounds to grant the relief.

The Enforcement Directorate opposed Kejriwal’s application, arguing that special privileges cannot be extended to him simply because he wishes to govern from inside the jail. Kejriwal’s counsel informed the judge that the politician has multiple pending cases and that one hour per week is inadequate for understanding and providing 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 argued.

The federal agency opposed Kejriwal’s request for five meetings with his lawyers each week, stating that it was contrary to the jail manual.

The ED informed the court that Kejriwal is already permitted two meetings with his lawyers instead of the usual one. It alleged that Kejriwal was misusing legal interviews for purposes other than consultation.

The Delhi Chief Minister has issued instructions on governance matters from behind bars, and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has asserted that he will continue to govern from jail. Kejriwal moved the application, claiming that two meetings per week with his lawyers, as permitted by the court, were insufficient due to facing multiple cases in various states and requiring more consultation time.

On April 1, the court sent Kejriwal to judicial custody until April 15 in the money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.

The AAP leader has been accused by the ED of being implicated in the entirety of the Delhi liquor scam conspiracy, encompassing the drafting and implementation of the policy, receipt of kickbacks, and utilization of a portion of the proceeds of crime generated from the scheduled offense in the campaign for Goa Assembly elections.