Court Sends
The ED told Judge Baweja that Kejriwal received several crores of rupees as kickbacks from the ‘South group’ for formulating and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
He demanded Rs 100 crore from some accused from the ‘South group’ for contesting the Punjab elections, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, who appeared for the agency, told the court.
The law officer said the money trail showed that Rs 45 crore “kickback” used in the Goa elections came from four hawala routes.
He said the statements of the accused and witnesses have been corroborated through Call Detail Records (CDR).
The AAP chief was produced before the court around 2 pm amid tight security on and around the court premises.
“We have given an application for 10 days’ remand,” ASG Raju told the court.
He said the AAP is not an individual but a company, and every person responsible for the conduct of the company will be held responsible.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who was representing Kejriwal, said this is the first time in the history of India that a sitting chief minister has been arrested.
The power of arrest is not equal to the need of arrest and there was no necessity of arresting this man, he said.
“Please don’t look at remand as a routine exercise... it requires application of significant judicial mind... larger issues of democracy involved,” Singhvi said.
Lawyer Vikram Chaudhari, who was also representing the Delhi chief minister, told the court that the “ED has become judge, jury and executioner”.
He suggested that Kejriwal’s arrest is indicative of this anxiety, labeling it as a stain on democracy.
Omar also highlighted past instances of opposition leaders being targeted, citing the detention of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren as an example.
PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti echoed similar sentiments, condemning Kejriwal’s arrest as an act of political vendetta. She warned against the dangers of arbitrary arrests and expressed apprehensions about the ruling party’s intentions, cautioning that such actions could undermine democratic norms. She emphasized the need for unified resistance against tyranny, asserting that history has shown that authoritarianism cannot prevail in the face of collective opposition. “The arbitrary arrest of yet another Chief Minister by the ED smacks of political vendetta and growing authoritarianism. This cowardly act has exposed the apprehensions of the ruling party that now desperate measures are being taken by manipulating the elections even before the elections are held. History is witness to the fact that tyranny has never been able to prevail in the face of unified resistance. We will not be afraid,” Mehbooba said. and precedence established, the Order of the Druk Gyalpo was instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement and is the pinnacle of the honor system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations and medals.”
In 2020, Modi received the ‘Legion of Merit by the US Government’ award of the US Armed Forces and in 2019, Russia conferred its highest civilian honour ‘The order of St. Andrew’ award on Modi.
Earlier in the day, hours after he arrived in the Himalayan nation, Modi said he was grateful to the Bhutanese people for according to him a “memorable welcome” to their beautiful country and hoped that IndiaBhutan friendship “keeps scaling new heights.”
Modi’s visit seeks to further cement India’s unique and enduring relations with Bhutan as part of the country’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy. constituency is spread in five districts, Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Udhampur and Kathua, with its headquarters at Kathua. The total number of votes in Kishtwar district is 175844, Doda district has 304866, Ramban has 219106, Udhampur has 419789 and Kathua has 502994. (KNO) across sectors.
He added, “Incorporating QR code systems at hospital payment counters is just the beginning. We are committed to exploring further innovative solutions to enhance the quality and accessibility of healthcare services for the people of Jammu & Kashmir.”
He added that Syed Abid’s directive to implement QR code systems at hospital payment counters reflects a forward-thinking approach to healthcare management such sharp increases, the burden falls disproportionately on passengers, underscoring the need for regulatory intervention to ensure fair pricing practices in the aviation sector,” an aggrieved traveller from Srinagar said.