Arvind Kejriwal sent to 15-day judicial custody

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Monday sent to 15-day judicial custody in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court delivered the verdict following the end of Kejriwal's custody with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today.

The court has also allowed him to meet his wife Sunita Kejriwal and ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj before he is shifted to the Tihar Jail.

Mr Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in the alleged liquor policy scam after he skipped nine central agency summons, and has been running his government from the ED lock-up since then.

During today's hearing, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, said that the agency is not asking for further remand in light of the Supreme Court's recent judgment in Senthil Balaji's case. SV Raju argued that Kejriwal's conduct in the lock-up was "totally non-cooperative" and he was providing authorities with "evasive replies". He also claimed that the Delhi Chief Minister was "misleading (the) investigation" into the liquor case.

 "In the future, we may require custody. That's the only purpose [of the statement]," SV Raju told the court.

Arvind Kejriwal's lawyers have moved an application to allow the Delhi Chief Minister to carry three books - Bhagavad Geeta, Ramayan and How Prime Ministers Decide by journalist Neerja Chaudhary - in jail.