Delhi excise coverage case: ED rejects AAP’s declare of deletion of interrogation audio; is contemplating authorized motion in opposition to Atishi

Enforcement Directorate sources on Tuesday refuted claims that audio recordings have been ‘deleted’ from the assertion of an accused within the Delhi excise-linked cash laundering case, including that they may take ‘authorized recourse’ in opposition to the Union Minister Delhi and AAP chief Atishi for levelling. such accusations. They mentioned the footage throughout the interrogation was solely recorded in video format because the CCTV system didn’t have the audio recording functionality on the time. Audio recordings have been solely added to the video recording system of the emergency room interrogation course of in October final yr, sources mentioned.

Atishi, 42, claimed at a press convention that the ED had “deleted” audio recordings of the video footage taken throughout the interrogation of a suspect.

“A couple of days in the past, a suspect had filed a request with the courtroom to acquire the CCTV footage of the interrogation. The police needed to confront him with a authorities witness and it had occurred in a room the place there was a digicam. He moved a as a result of the assertion made by ED earlier than the courtroom was totally different from what occurred in that room,” she alleged.

The minister claimed that the footage submitted by the ED within the courtroom didn’t include audio.

“ED had deleted audio recordings of the video footage of the interrogation. We’ve got realized from dependable sources that ED has deleted audio recordings of 1 and a half years of interrogation within the case,” she alleged and challenged the investigation. company to supply the courtroom recordings.

“We’ve got additionally demanded within the courtroom that the ED make video and audio recordings of the interrogation,” she mentioned. ED sources mentioned the minister’s allegations have been “false, baseless and malicious” and acceptable “authorized motion” is required to refute her allegation. They mentioned that every one statements recorded throughout interrogations beneath the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act (PMLA) have been made beneath energetic CCTV and the identical statements got to the accused as sought by them, and that the courtroom (within the excise coverage case ) was additionally heard. the identical supplied.

Nonetheless, the CCTV footage, they claimed, was recorded solely in video format because the digicam system accessible on the time didn’t have the audio recording functionality.

Company officers mentioned no audio recording was deleted by ED officers and the company’s CCTV system was upgraded to file and retailer audio together with video solely in October 2023.

The Supreme Courtroom pointers had stipulated that the audio and video recordings of statements must be retained for 180 days and the ED has upgraded its techniques to make sure compliance with the Supreme Courtroom order late final yr, they mentioned.

They added that the accused concerned within the case made the identical assertion earlier than the courtroom as he had recorded earlier than the ED beneath the PMLA.

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