Court summons CM in excise case, extends JC till September 11
NEW DELHI: The Rouse Avenue Court, New Delhi, has summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with several others, following the CBI’s filing of a supplementary chargesheet in the ongoing Delhi excise policy case. The summons were issued after Special Judge Kaveri
Baweja acknowledged the supplementary chargesheet, with the next court session scheduled for September 11 to provide the necessary documents to the involved parties.
The chargesheet includes allegations against Arvind Kejriwal, Durgesh Pathak, Vinod Chauhan, Ashish Mathur, Sharath Reddy, and Amit Arora. The CBI has accused these individuals of misusing funds received from a South Indian group to finance the AAP’s election campaign in Goa, claiming that promises of Rs 90 lakh were made to each of the candidates in the 40 constituencies. Additionally, it is alleged that Vijay Nair, appointed as Kejriwal’s media manager, maintained connections with this South Group, facilitating the flow of funds towards the election campaign. The court has also extended Kejriwal’s judicial custody until September 11, pending further proceedings. During the session, CBI’s Special Public Prosecutor, DP Singh, accompanied by Manu Mishra, argued that this is the investigation’s fourth and final charge sheet, and no further probes are expected. Singh further detailed Kejriwal’s alleged interactions with members of the South Group and outlined the involvement of Durgesh Pathak, who oversaw the AAP’s Goa election strategy.
Testimonies presented by the prosecution also suggest instances of intimidation, including allegations that Amit Arora, one of the accused, threatened witnesses connected to the case. Other accusations involve the misuse of funds and coercive tactics related to business operations within the liquor industry in Delhi.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attended the proceedings via video conferencing but was allowed a brief recess due to health concerns. As the legal battle continues, the court will address the charges and evidence presented by the CBI on September 11.
