First Sitting CM Arrest: Kejriwal’s arrest by the ED is unprecedented as he is the current Chief Minister
Delhi High Court’s Role : The arrest followed shortly after the court denied him protection from coercive action.
Charges: Kejriwal faces allegations of money laundering linked to the Delhi liquor policy scam.
ED’s Action: The ED detained Kejriwal post-interrogation at his residence with a search warrant.
Legal Proceedings: Kejriwal had challenged the legality of the ED’s summons and sought court protection.
AAP’s Response: AAP asserts Kejriwal will remain CM and has escalated the matter to the Supreme Court.
Political Impact: The arrest intensifies the legal and political drama around the Delhi liquor policy.
The Emerging World had been announced on the 9th of February this year
Abhinit Kumar
New Delhi, The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the alleged money laundering case linked to the controversial Delhi liquor policy scam. The ED team, armed with a search warrant, arrived at Kejriwal’s residence on Thursday evening and detained him after nearly two hours of interrogation.
This arrest comes on the heels of the Delhi High Court’s refusal to grant interim protection to Kejriwal against coercive action in the case. Earlier, a division bench of the court had dismissed Kejriwal’s plea for interim relief.
Kejriwal had previously moved the Delhi High Court to challenge the summons issued to him by the ED and had also sought interim protection. The ED, in its complaints, has alleged that Kejriwal failed to comply with the summons issued to him, while Kejriwal argued that the summons were illegal. However, he had indicated to the ED that he could be questioned via video conferencing after March 12. Notably, Aam Aadmi Party leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh have already been arrested in the same money laundering case and are currently in judicial custody.
Reacting to Kejriwal’s arrest, AAP Minister Atishi reaffirmed his position, asserting, “He is and will remain the Chief Minister of Delhi. We have consistently stated that Arvind Kejriwal will continue to lead the government even if he is in jail. Our legal team has taken the matter to the Supreme Court, and our lawyers are preparing for an urgent hearing before the apex court.”
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has swiftly moved to seek intervention from the Supreme Court to challenge the arrest of their leader. AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj confirmed, “We have approached the Supreme Court and requested an urgent hearing, which we hope will be granted tonight.”
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had instructed the ED to compile and present all evidence related to Kejriwal’s alleged involvement in the Delhi liquor policy case. Subsequently, the evidence was submitted before the court for scrutiny by the judges.
