Arvind Kejriwal hasn’t been given a computer or paper in the lock-up, the sources in the Enforcement Directorate said, raising questions over Delhi Minister Atishi’s statement on Chief Minister’s first order from the probe agency custody.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate or ED on Thursday in connection with the Delhi liquor policy-linked money laundering case after searches at his official residence in the Civil Lines area of the national capital. A court on Friday sent him to the central agency’s custody till March 28.
Delhi Water Minister Atishi, in a press conference this morning, said that Mr Kejriwal has issued his first direction from the Enforcement Directorate custody on running the city government, instructing to solve water and sewer-related problems in some areas of the national capital.
“Neither any computer nor paper has been given to Arvind Kejriwal from the ED headquarters,” the sources claimed. “We are probing this,” they added.
Atishi said the directions, received late on Saturday, brought tears to her eyes: “I kept thinking who is this man, who is in prison, but is still thinking about Delhi residents’ water and sewage problems. Only Arvind Kejriwal can do this because he considers himself a family member of Delhi’s 2 crore people.”
Suggesting a link between Mr Kejriwal’s meeting with his wife yesterday and the order on water issues, the probe agency sources said, “Sunita Kejriwal met him in the ED headquarters. We are investigating.”
Sunita Kejriwal met the Delhi Chief Minister last evening at the ED office. With some papers in hand, she was seen exiting the ED office and boarding a car with some staff.
The Delhi BJP, meanwhile, has called his instruction from ED custody to the Water Minister “scripted”.
The AAP chief’s arrest sparked protests by the party workers in the national capital. His ministers have insisted that he will not resign and serve his duties from the jail.
The 55-year-old earlier ignored nine summonses from the central agency that investigates money laundering. Three of his party colleagues – Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Vijay Nair – are already in jail waiting trial in the same case.
The Delhi liquor policy case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped.
Mr Kejriwal’s name has been mentioned multiple times in the charge sheets filed by the ED in this case. The agency has alleged that the accused were in touch with him for formulating the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits to them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the AAP.