Lawyer Abhishek Singhvi said Arvind Kejriwal will challenge the remand proceedings in the court and then return to the Supreme Court with a fresh petition.

Arvind Kejriwal arrest: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremacy and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal On Friday he withdrew his plea High Council disputes his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy ‘scam’.

Hours after the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case MONKEY plea from the leader, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who represents Kejriwalinformed an apex bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna that the Delhi CM withdrew his plea.

Advocate Singhvi told the Supreme Court bench that since the remand proceedings in the trial court will clash with the hearing in the top court later in the day, he may withdraw the plea.

He said Kejriwal will challenge the remand proceedings in court and then return to the apex court with a fresh petition.

“You can go there (to court). Just write an email to the registry. We will see,” Justice Khanna told Singhvi.

Singhvi replied, “I will write a letter to the registry. I had to report this again to this court, so that it suits your Lordships.”

Earlier in the day, Justice Khanna Singhvi had told that Kejriwal’s petition against his arrest would be heard by a three-judge bench during the day.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on Thursday evening in an alleged money laundering case related to the alleged excise ‘scam’ in Delhi. Kejriwal was taken to the probe agency’s headquarters in the national capital around 11 p.m., according to officials.

Kejriwal’s arrest, first of a sitting chief minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP supremos against coercive action by the federal agency.

After his arrest, Kejriwal had moved the Supreme Court late Thursday, seeking to quash the ED action against him.

(With PTI inputs)

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The Enforcement Directorate team has reached CM Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in Delhi for questioning in the money laundering case related to the excise policy case. Section 144 has been imposed outside CM Kejriwal’s residence.

New Delhi: In a major development in the excise policy, a team from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday for questioning, ANI reported. The development comes hours after the national capital’s High Court denied protection in the money laundering case linked to the liquor case.

#WATCH | Enforcement Directorate team reaches CM Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in Delhi for questioning: ED pic.twitter.com/kMiyVD6vhf— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2024

Notably, the Kejriwal had earlier skipped several summons issued by the agency in the case. The Supreme Court previously refused to provide protection against coercive measures in the money laundering case.

Security has also been tightened outside the Enforcement Directorate office. Delhi Police has imposed Section 144 outside the Chief Minister’s residence.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was arrested in an excise-related money laundering case on Thursday.

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was arrested in an excise-related money laundering case on Thursday. This comes hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the national AAP convenor against coercive action taken by the organization. Soon after the arrest, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on the Delhi CM, saying the people of the national capital voted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for better schools, but they chose to open a liquor store.

Speaking to news agency ANI, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, “The people of Delhi had voted you to power to make a better ‘paathshala’, but you opened a ‘madhushala’. When action is taken against this corruption with the nod of the court, and you have skipped 9 summons from the ED, you are still playing the victim card. The SC has traced a money trail of Rs 338 crore.”

“He followed in the footsteps of Lalu Prasad Yadav, did not cooperate in the investigation and is now talking about running the government from jail,” he added.

A public notice issued by the office of the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer directed district election officers or returning officers to enforce the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in letter and spirit during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Lok Sabha elections: Control rooms have been set up and flying squadrons have been deployed across Delhi in a bid to curb MCC violations and check incidents of voter intimidation in the national capital, the city’s Chief Electoral Officer said on Sunday.

A public notice issued by the office of the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer directed district election officers or returning officers to enforce the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in letter and spirit. According to the report, flying squads and control rooms have been set up in the city’s seven Lok Sabha constituencies to monitor cases of violation of voting codes and intimidation of voters.

‘Giver’, ‘receiver’ of bribes to initiate legal action

Flying squads have been formed to register cases against both the “giver” and “taker” of bribes and take action against those involved in threatening and intimidating voters, the notice said.

“All citizens are hereby requested to refrain from all illegal activities as above and in case anyone offers bribe or has knowledge of the bribe or any case of threat/intimidation of voters, he/she should call the 24× toll-free number 7 Complaint Monitoring Cell of the Returning Officers/Districts set up for receiving complaints,” the report said.

Report MCC Violations: Poll to Delhiites

The poll body has also urged people to inform about incidents related to MCC violations, including damaging public property/property in public view, distributing cash, liquor, gifts or offering/attempting of bribes by candidates/political parties to the returning officers of their respective constituencies.

“If there are threats/intimidation of voters and cases of other electoral malpractices, it should be reported to the district election officer,” the report said.

Under Section 171 B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), any person who gives or accepts any reward in cash or in kind during the election process, with the intention of inducing any person to exercise his/her right to vote, shall be punishable with imprisonment. maximum one year or a fine or both.

Section 171 C of the IPC states that any person who threatens any candidate, voter or any other person with injury of any kind shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine or with both.

Single window system for applications

The Delhi poll body has also set up a ‘single window system’ in the offices of all seven returning officers in the city for receiving applications and granting permission/decisions to political parties and candidates for public meetings/rallies/processions/loudspeakers and the use of vehicles for electioneering and the use of non-commercial/remote/uncontrolled airports/helicopter pads etc. during the election period.

Political parties/candidates seeking clearance must register online through the mobile app ‘Suvidha Candidate’ or ‘ENCORE’ on the Election Commission of India website along with details of expenditure plan at least 48 hours before an event.

Parties/candidates seeking permission may also approach the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Consent) at the counter in the office of the returning officer concerned.

A political party/candidate can apply for permission for events/meetings/processions organized within seven days of submitting the application (excluding the day of application).

For more than one event on a given day, a separate application must be submitted, the poll body said.

“In case any event/meeting/procession etc. is held in the area falling under the jurisdiction of more than one Returning Officer of the Parliamentary Constituency, separate applications have to be made to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (permission ) in the office of the returning officer concerned,” the report said.

The permission or decision to the applicant will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis from the one-stop shop system, it added.

Lok Sabha elections announced

The elections to the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will be held on May 25 in the sixth phase of the general elections, with 1.47 crore people eligible to exercise their franchise, as per the schedule announced by the Election Commission on Saturday India has been announced.

Meanwhile, voting for the 543 Lok Sabha seats across India will take place in seven phases, with the first on April 19. The votes will be counted on June 4.

The Model Code of Conduct came into force on Saturday with the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, who asked political parties to maintain decorum during their campaigns.

Kumar also advised the parties against hate speech, caste or religious appeals, criticism of any aspect of private life, disguising advertisements as news and social media posts defaming or insulting rivals.

(With PTI inputs)

The ECI team reached Jammu on Wednesday to review preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory.

Jammu and Kashmir: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is fully involved and fully concerned about the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

CEC Rajiv Kumar said this at a press conference in Jammu.

Replying to a question on the delay in holding assembly elections in the erstwhile state, he said, “When the delimitation took place under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, many changes had to be made and that is why it took so much time. There was no delay on our part.”

He said: “In view of the security situation, it will be considered that parliamentary elections will be held as soon as possible. Or it should take place simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.”

The ECI team reached Jammu on Wednesday to review preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory.

In a stern message to neighboring countries (Pakistan and China), CEC Rajiv Kumar said, “If Pakistan or anyone else tries to disrupt the elections in any way, strict action will be taken against it. Strict instructions have been given to the security forces.”

The Election Commission team, which is on a three-day tour of Jammu and Kashmir, interacted with the representatives of the National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist Party) ) (CPI(M), Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), besides Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer PK Pole and police nodal officials in Srinagar on Tuesday.

There is a growing demand among political parties in Jammu and Kashmir that the Election Commission should hold parliamentary elections here simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls or immediately after the general elections.

As per the agreement, the AAP will contest the elections on four seats and the Congress on three seats in Delhi.

New Delhi: After the Congress entered into a seat-sharing deal with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, the Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday agreed with the Congress to fight the Lok Sabha elections on the basis of 4/3 sharing formula seats. After several rounds of talks between the leaders of the two parties, an agreement has been reached on the number of seats to be contested by them.

AAP will contest the elections on four seats

As per the agreement, the AAP will contest the elections on four seats and the Congress on three seats in Delhi. In Gujarat, Congress is likely to award two seats to AAP, while in Haryana and Assam, an agreement has been reached on one seat each.

As part of the INDIA bloc, the Aam Aadmi Party will contest the general elections from Delhi's South, Northwest, New Delhi and West Delhi, and the Congress will contest from Chandni Chowk, East Delhi and North Delhi.

Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal said the seat-sharing agreement between the two parties had reached the “final stage”.

Congress and SP deal in Uttar Pradesh

The development comes after the Congress signed an agreement with Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. UP Congress chief Avinash Pande on Wednesday said the grand old party will contest 17 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha elections. He further stated that Samajwadi Party and other alliance partners of INDIA bloc will contest on 63 seats.

Officials said BRS leader K Kavitha has been asked to appear before the investigation team at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi on Monday.

New Delhi: The CBI has summoned the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and BRS legislator K Kavitha in connection with the excise tax scam case in Delhi next week, officials said on Wednesday.

They said Kavitha has been asked to appear before the investigation team at the CBI headquarters on Monday.

The agency had earlier recorded her statement at her residence in Hyderabad in December 2022, they said.

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that one of the accused in the Vijay Nair case received kickbacks worth at least Rs 100 crore from a group called South Group (controlled by Sarath Reddy, Kavitha and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy) on behalf of AAP leaders.

The CBI, which has so far filed three chargesheets against a number of accused including former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, has alleged that bribes of around Rs 90-100 crore were paid in advance to some politicians of the ruling AAP in Delhi and other public institutions. operated by some persons in the liquor business from South India through co-accused Nair, Abhishek Boinpally and Dinesh Arora.

The agency has alleged that these kickbacks were then returned to them from the profit margins of wholesalers holding L-1 licenses through various forms such as the issuance of excess credit notes, bank transfers and outstanding amounts remaining on the bank's accounts. companies controlled by some conspirators of the “South Lobby”.

The CBI has alleged that a cartel has been formed between three constituents of the policy – liquor manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers – by violating provisions and against the spirit of the policy.

All conspirators are alleged to have played an active role in achieving the illegal objectives of this criminal conspiracy.

It resulted in huge losses to the exchequer and unnecessary monetary benefits to the officials and other accused involved in the conspiracy, the CBI has alleged.

(Only the headline has been reworked by India.Com. The copy is from an agency feed)

As per the data compiled by ADR, a whopping Rs 719,858 crore out of 7,945 donations was declared by the BJP, followed by Rs 79,924 crore out of 894 donations by the Congress.

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received a whopping Rs 720 crore in donations in the year 2022-23, an amount more than five times greater than the total amount received by the other four national parties – Congress, AAP , CPI-M and National People's Party, during the same period.

According to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the BJP has declared donations of nearly Rs 720 crore in 2022-23, while the total donations (over Rs 20,000) declared by national parties for the financial year 2022-2023 amounted to Rs 850,438. crore from 12,167 donations.

As per the data compiled by ADR, a whopping Rs 719,858 crore out of 7,945 donations was declared by the BJP, followed by Rs 79,924 crore out of 894 donations by the Congress.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the country's sixth national party, stated that it has not received donations above Rs 20,000 during the fiscal year 2022-23, as it has stated for the last 17 years, it emerged.

It is mandatory for registered political parties to disclose individual donations above Rs 20,000 received in a financial year.

BJP's donations are 5 times more than the other 4 parties

According to the ADR report, the donations declared by the BJP are more than five times the total amount declared by the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, National People's Party (NPP) and CPI(M) for the same period.

The NPP is the only political party from the Northeast that has national party status.

The ADR also noted that a total of Rs 276,202 crore was donated to the national parties from Delhi, followed by Rs 160,509 crore from Gujarat and Rs 96,273 crore from Maharashtra.

Total donations from the national parties during the financial year 2022-2023 increased by Rs 91,701 crore, an increase of 12.09 percent over the previous financial year 2021-2022.

Donations to the BJP rose from Rs 614,626 crore in the financial year 2021-2022 to Rs 719,858 crore in the financial year 2022-2023 – an increase of 17.12 per cent, the ADR said.

However, the party's donations fell by 41.49 percent during the 2020-21 financial year compared to the 2019-20 financial year, the report said.

Congress's donations fell from Rs 95,459 crore in the 2021-2022 financial year to Rs 79,924 crore in the 2022-2023 financial year – a decline of 16.27 per cent. According to the ADR, donations increased by 28.09 percent between FY 2020-21 and FY 2021-22.

Compared to the previous financial year, the decline in donations declared by CPI(M) was 39.56 per cent (Rs 3,978 crore), and for AAP by 2.99 per cent or Rs 1,143 crore.

The ED officials searched more than 10 places in New Delhi from 7 am under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

ED raids Delhi CM's PA: While investigating allegations that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had received backhanders worth Rs 17 crore through irregularities in a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tender, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched the premises of the personal assistant of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Bibhav Kumar and others. on Tuesday, official sources said the move is part of a money laundering probe targeting alleged bribes obtained through irregularities in the DJB tender process and allegedly sent as election funds to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). are channeled.

The ED officials searched more than 10 places in New Delhi from 7 am under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Among the places where the federal agency conducted search operations are the residences of Bibhav Kumar, former Delhi assembly member Jal Shalabh Kumar, the office of AAP Rajya Sabha MP and national treasurer ND Gupta, and the premises of Chartered Accountant (CA) Pankaj Mangal. and others associated with the AAP.

Reacting to the ED action, Delhi Minister Atishi accused the authorities of “intimidate” the AAP.

For those unfamiliar, the raids by the probe agency are in connection with a probe into alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tender process, for which the ED had earlier arrested retired Jal Board chief engineer Jagdish Kumar Arora and contractor Anil Kumar Aggarwal. on January 31.

The money laundering case stemmed from a CBI FIR that alleged corruption and bribery in the Delhi Jal Board, which falls under the district of the Delhi government.

According to the CBI FIR, Jal Board's retired chief engineer Jagdish Kumar Arora awarded contracts to NKG Infrastructure Ltd. for a total amount of Rs 38 crore, despite the fact that the company did not meet the technical eligibility criteria.

The ED alleges that the said company, NKG Infrastructure Ltd., secured the bid by submitting forged documents and the investigation further revealed that the contract was inflated, allowing the incentives to be recovered from the contractors.

The officials also alleged that Arora was aware of the company's non-compliance with technical requirements and claimed that he received the money both in cash and in bank accounts and passed on these alleged kickbacks to Bibhav Kumar, Shalab Kumar, Pankaj Mangal et al. the bribes were also passed on to the AAP as election money.

Of the contract value of Rs 38 crore, only about Rs 17 crore was spent on the tender work, while the remaining funds were allegedly siphoned off in the guise of various bogus expenditures, including bribes and election funds.

Interestingly, the ED raids took place on a day when Atishi claimed at a press conference that the ED had “deleted” audio recordings of witness statements in certain cases, including the excise policy probe involving AAP officials.

The ED has denied the claims and said the agency proposed taking legal action against the Delhi minister and that no recording had been deleted, adding that the audio recording of the interrogations began only in October 2023.

(With PTI inputs)

By Laura Sharman

Published: 7:01 PM EST, February 5, 2024 | Updated: 7:01 PM EST, February 5, 2024

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