Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be produced before the Rouse Avenue Court as his custody with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) ends on Monday. The court had remanded him to the ED custody till April during his last appearance on March 28.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.
There are speculations that the ED can ask for an extension for the Delhi CM’s custody for four more days, failing which it would ask for Kejriwal's judicial custody. There is also a possibility that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has registered the predicate offence in the case, may seek his custody. If denied, Kejriwal could be sent to Tihar Jail.
The federal agency had earlier cited his lack of cooperation, stating the chief minister continued to give evasive replies to questions. Though the ED confiscated several electronic devices from Kejriwal, including his iPhone, the chief minister had not shared his password with the investigators.
Following this, the ED had contacted Apple to help gain access to his iPhone, The Indian Express reported. The AAP had earlier complained that the ED was asking for access to the chief minister's phone to access AAP's "election strategy" and pre-poll alliances.
The ED was asked by the Delhi High Court to file a response to Arvind Kejriwal's petition seeking his release by Tuesday. The matter will now be heard on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, at the mega rally held in Delhi on Sunday, Kejriwal's wife Sunita made her maiden speech. She addressed her husband a "sher" (lion) who will not stay behind bars for long and announced his six "guarantees" to the country on behalf of the INDIA bloc.
She also read out her husband's message from ED custody and announced the six guarantees, which also include full statehood for Delhi.
She also sought the forgiveness of other leaders on his behalf. "Today, I seek forgiveness from all INDIA bloc partners because I did not seek their permission for making these announcements," she said, quoting his message.
