Mastermind of excise policy scam finally in custody: Smriti Irani

New Delhi: Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday said that the mastermind of the Delhi excise policy 'scam' is finally in custody as a Delhi court sent arrested Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to a six-day ED remand.

Reacting to the court order, she said that it has proved that no one involved in corruption is above the law "even if he is Kejriwal".

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Smriti Irani said that revelations in the documents submitted by the ED in the court are mind-boggling.

She said that when the ED said in court that AAP media in-charge Vijay Nair sat with representatives of some liquor companies to frame the policy, Arvind Kejriwal's side didn't refute the claim. Nor had it contested the bank transactions cited by the ED, she added.

The Union Minister also said that Arvind Kejriwal’s lawyers did not counter the ED statement related to the evidence and dealings done by Nair, Sameer Mahendru, Manish Sisodia's aide and BRS leader K. Kavitha.

She attacked the AAP leaders who had protested against Kejriwal's arrest saying all details of the money trails were furnished in the court.

The BJP leader said that the ED's claim that the AAP had utilised Rs 45 crore of the kickbacks it received from the 'South Group' to fund its Goa Assembly campaign was also not refuted by Arvind Kejriwal's lawyers.