The Enforcement Directorate (ED) approached Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday, asserting that the accused in a money laundering case related with the purported Delhi excise scam were employing strategies to prolong proceedings.
The ED conveyed this stance while opposing the accused request for a copy of the CCTV footage, encompassing both audio and video recordings, from the interrogation sessions during their custody period.
During the hearing before Special Judge M K Nagpal, the central probe agency accused the accused of obstructing the trial and urged for directions to ensure their cooperation and prevent unnecessary delays in initiating and concluding the trial.
Furthermore, the ED alleged in its submission that the information/CCTV footage provided to the accused was being exploited by AAP leaders to defame the investigating agency through unfounded statements in the media.
The agency contended that the accused request for the footage lacked substantial justification, rendering it inappropriate at the present stage of the case.
Advocate Nitesh Rana, representing one of the accused, opposed the ED’s stance, alleging that the agency aimed to bypass the inquiry process with its “frivolous” application.
Rana argued before the court that the request for CCTV footage was a legitimate legal procedure adopted by the defense counsel.
The ED maintained before the court that the accused application for CCTV footage was merely a tactic to burden the investigating agency and disrupt the smooth progress of the trial.
The court has scheduled the matter for further consideration on March 19, 2024.
