Kejriwal seeks cop's removal; Atishi challenges ED to file case against BJP

A Delhi court has directed the preservation of CCTV camera footage on a plea filed by arrested Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, seeking the removal of a Delhi Police officer deployed for security in the court for alleged misconduct.

"Application has been filed on behalf of the accused (Kejriwal) stating that the security staff/in-charge responsible for bringing him for production before the court, namely ACP (assistant commissioner of police) A.K. Singh, is unnecessarily harsh and mishandled the people around the courtroom," special judge Kaveri Baweja noted.

The application was filed by Kejriwal on Friday along with his submissions opposing the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea for his custody. The court, however, remanded him in ED custody until 28 March in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

It further noted that, according to the plea, while producing co-accused Manish Sisodia in the case, a written complaint was filed against the officer. Kejriwal sought the court's directions to remove or replace the officer, the order noted.

"Having considered the submissions made, I deem it appropriate to direct that firstly a request letter be sent to the Principal District & Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge (CBI) to get preserved the above CCTV footage and to get produced a copy thereof before this court on the next date for the purpose of disposal of the above application," the judge said.

According to sources, on Friday, when Kejriwal was produced before the court, which was jam-packed with lawyers, litigants and security personnel, the ACP allegedly misbehaved with several people while trying to prevent them from entering the court.

Meanwhile, on Saturday Delhi minister Atishi claimed that the ED has not been able to establish a money trail against any AAP leader despite multiple raids, arrests and two year-long investigations into the alleged excise policy scam.

The AAP leader also said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Kejriwal on Thursday, 21 March, based merely on the statement of one Sharad P. Reddy, of Aurobindo Pharma, who was arrested by the ED in November in connection with the case. Reddy also gave crores of rupees to the BJP through electoral bonds, she claimed.

Atishi also challenged the ED to file a case against the BJP, saying the money trail of the so-called excise policy scam leads to the saffron party. The Delhi minister alleged that the BJP received "proceeds of crime" in its bank accounts and said the central agency should arrest the party's national president J.P. Nadda in the matter.