Excise policy case: CM Kejriwal calls own party leader confused in statement to ED

New Delhi: Incarcerated Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, when confronted with the statement of AAP National Treasurer, ND Gupta, in the alleged excise scam by the ED, termed his own party leader "confused."

A Delhi court on Monday sent the AAP’s National Convenor Kejriwal to judicial custody till April 15 after his ED custody ended today.

CM Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in the excise policy case by the financial probe agency.

“The arrestee (CM Kejriwal) has even given false and contrary evidence vis-à-vis other members of the AAP. When he was confronted with the statements given by his own party leaders he has called them confused,” read the ED’s judicial custody application submitted in the court on Monday.

The ED claimed that ND Gupta (CA and former President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) in his statement has revealed that it is the AAP’s National Convenor Kejriwal, who appoints the state election incharge/Prabhari.

“State Prabhari is supposed to manage all election campaign-related matters. In case of the Goa elections Durgesh Pathak was chosen. However, CM Kejriwal states that it is the PAC (Political Affairs Committee) which decided the state election incharge. Kejriwal first said that Gupta is an active member of the party and is a member of the PAC and has knowledge of the party’s functioning. But when confronted with Gupta’s statement wherein he reveals that the National Convenor takes such decisions, Kejriwal calls Gupta confused,” the ED’s application read.

The ED further said that during the custodial interrogation, CM Kejriwal was also shown the evidence of Hawala transfers to the tune of Rs 45 crore which is corroborated with Call Details Record locations, IT department seized data of a Hawala firm in Goa, proof of payments being done in part cash and part bill and WhatsApp showing this arrangement.

“He was also shown multiple statements of witnesses, who worked on the AAP’s campaign in Goa and received cash from one Chanpreet Singh, who was working for the AAP’s campaign in Goa,” said the ED in the application.

“This (Chanpreet Singh) person collected and facilitated collection of Rs 45 crore cash through Hawala and also received Rs 220,340 directly in his bank account from the AAP. Even after showing all the above evidence, the arrestee (CM Kejriwal) claimed unawareness even though the beneficiary of these funds is the AAP which is headed by the arrestee,” it further read.