The CBI’s counsel today said that custodial interrogation of Kejriwal was necessary for the central agency’s probe into the alleged irregularities in the framing of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy of 2021-22.
Representing the CBI, advocate DP Singh said,
“We (CBI) need his (Kejriwal’s) custodial interrogation… He (Kejriwal) pushed the entire onus on Manish Sisodia and said he has no idea about the excise policy. We need to confront him with documents that we have… We are not asking him to admit to something.”
Singh added that Kejriwal has not been forthcoming so far in his answers to the CBI’s queries made prior to his formal arrest earlier today.
The CBI counsel also justified the timing of Kejriwal’s arrest by the central agency, in response to a query by the court.
Meanwhile, the CBI’s actions were vehemently objected to by Kejriwal’s counsel.
Representing Kejriwal, senior advocate Vikram Chaudhari asked whether there was any necessity to make the arrest at all.
“Many years back, Justice Krishna Iyer asked who will police the police? When people did not trust police, the case was referred to CBI. Today, the question is who will CBI the CBI? There are 4 chargesheets till now. In none of them there is even a reference to me (Kejriwal). I am on the timing today. My essential arguments are necessity to arrest coupled with the timing of arrest. This is a classic case of abuse of power,” Chaudhari argued.
He further queried as to whether there was any change of circumstances for the CBI to seek Kejriwal’s arrest today.
“I have been granted bail by the Special Court on June 20, 2024 (now stayed on High Court’s order). When did you make me an accused? From 160 CrPC to an accused? What has changed? How it has changed? There is nothing mentioned here. Why do you require me now? Why were they waiting? They (CBI) say they didn’t want to arrest me in May because they didn’t want to overreach the Supreme Court order of interim bail. They are doing exactly that today,” Chaudhari contended.
Supporting Chaurdhari’s contentions, advocate Vivek Jain added,
“What changed? There is only one earth-shattering event that happened and that is the only thing that has changed. It is that I have been granted bail in the PMLA case. Same arguments were made in Manish Sisodia’s case as well. Mr Manish Sisodia chargesheet has already been filed. If you are relying on the same evidence, how are you arresting me now? This shows mala fide.”
Source: Barandbench
