The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday stated within the Rouse Avenue Court that Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nationwide convener Arvind Kejriwal advised the central company that excise coverage rip-off accused Vijay Nair reported to minister Atishi.

According to the company, Kejriwal additionally named Saurabh Bhardwaj whereas being questioned in reference to the case. Nair was beforehand the chief of AAP’s media communication cell.

Who Is Vijay Nair, Delhi Liquorgate Accused Kejriwal Claims ‘Reports to Atishi’ As Per ED?

The court docket on Monday despatched the Delhi chief minister to judicial custody until April 15 after further solicitor basic SV Raju famous that the ED was not searching for any additional custody.

The company stated Kejriwal had failed to elucidate why Nair, who was additionally a key accused until he grew to become a authorities witness, had “greater than 10 conferences…with co-accused individuals concerned within the liquor enterprise”. The AAP chief “evaded” this and different questions, stated the directorate.

“Kejriwal advised throughout interrogation that Vijay Nair used to report to not me however to Atishi. Vijay Nair has been near Kejriwal. Kejriwal stated throughout interrogation that Nair didn’t report back to him, he used to report back to Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj,” the ASG told the court.

The central agency said in its application that Kejriwal was evasive in replying to questions on why Vijay Nair worked from the CM’s camp office by feigning unawareness about people who work there.

“It is noteworthy that Vijay Nair is not some small time volunteer of the AAP but is its Head of Media and Communications. He (CM Kejriwal) was also shown different WhatsApp chats showing the involvement of Vijay Nair, who was a close associate of the arrestee and lived and worked very closely with the arrestee,” it learn.

The central company sought Kejriwal’s judicial custody, citing “non-cooperative behaviour”.

“He did not reveal the password for digital devices… His conduct was totally non-cooperative. He is not giving his phone and deliberately misleading the investigation by giving evasive replies,” the ED advised the court docket.

Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate, which alleged that he was a key conspirator within the cash laundering case linked with the Delhi excise coverage case.

“… there are stories Arvind Kejriwal stated prime accused Vijay Nair used to report back to Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj. Delhi Government’s liquor coverage scenario is turning into clearer. It is to be seen if Kejriwal resigns or heads in direction of a brand new politics…” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said. “Lalu Yadav at least resigned when he was going to jail (the Rashtriya Janata Dal patriarch handed the reigns to his wife, Rabri Devi) but he (Mr Kejriwal) hasn’t resigned yet.”

According to the company, the Delhi CM obtained a number of crores of rupees as kickbacks from the so-called ‘South Group’ foyer of liquor merchants for formulating the Delhi excise coverage and utilizing that capital within the Goa and Punjab meeting elections.

“The names of our two senior leaders who’re ministers in Delhi authorities — Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj — have figured as a result of the BJP has realised that AAP is not going to shut down by sending Kejriwal alone to jail and preparations for different leaders must finished,” Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Jasmine Shah told the media.