So what if ED says there's a money trail: Kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday personally argued his case before the Delhi Court in a five-minute-long speech accusing ED of running an extortion racket.

The drama played out in the special court was unusual for a chief minister in custody to take up himself and argue from the dock of the court, further denigrating the post.

Usually, the accused answers and puts forward their arguments when they are asked to do so by the court. Or a person, with the court’s permission, argues in his case. For example, Subramanian Swamy. 

But as was expected from Sunita Kejriwal’s statement saying that her husband will do a ‘big expose’ in court, Kejriwal took the lead.

As it turned out, he repeated what was being said by either his battery of lawyers regarding the case or his party spokespersons about the electoral bonds bought by accused-turned-approver Sarath Reddy.

Kejriwal in his speech appeared to be pressurising the court to order an investigation into electoral bonds in which the court did not show any interest.

Did Kejriwal achieve any legal objective from his speech? The answer is no.

ED on Thursday began questioning Aam Aadmi Party's Goa unit president Amit Palekar and three others in connection with a money laundering case.

Sensing that ED may confront him with Goa leaders or even Manish Sisodia, Kejriwal appeared to be playing to the gallery with a ‘political objective’ as accused by Additional Solicitor General SV Raju appearing for ED.

Soon after Kejriwal finished his speech, Senior Advocate Ramesh Gupta appearing for him said his client was willing to cooperate but why did ED arrest him?

“Money trail was spent there in Goa. Then why was I arrested?” Gupta asked on Kejriwal’s behalf.

“I'm willing to cooperate. But kisliye arrest Kiya mujhe? Money trail toh kharch hogayi waha Goa me. Fir kis liye arrest Kiya Hain. Ye kehte Hain phone toh milgaya but password nahi de rahe. (Money trail was spent there in Goa. Then why did you arrest? They say that they got the phone but not the password.) Can they force me to give password?” Gupta said.

Gupta; I'm willing to cooperate. But kisliye arrest Kiya mujhe? Money trail toh kharch hogayi waha Goa me. Fir kis liye arrest Kiya Hain. Ye kehte Hain phone toh milgaya but password nahi de rahe. Can they force me to give password?#ArvindKejriwal #ED

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 28, 2024

When Kejriwal told the court that he was ready to go to ED remand for as long as the probe agency wanted, Gupta clarified his client was saying he was not opposing remand on the ground that a money trail was established.