New Delhi, March 21: Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy case, according to sources.
AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi has stated that they have approached the Supreme Court to quash Kejriwal’s arrest and have requested an urgent hearing. “We have moved the Supreme Court for quashing the arrest of Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal by ED. We have asked for an urgent hearing by the Supreme Court tonight itself,” Atishi said in a post.
She further emphasized that Kejriwal will continue to run the government from jail. “We have received news that ED has arrested Arvind Kejriwal… We have always said that Arvind Kejriwal will run the govt from jail. He will remain the CM of Delhi. We have filed a case in the Supreme Court. Our lawyers are reaching SC. We will demand SC have an urgent hearing tonight,” she said.
An Enforcement Directorate team arrived at Kejriwal’s residence for questioning in the liquor policy case. The team conducted a search operation at his residence following the Delhi High Court’s refusal to grant interim protection to Kejriwal from coercive action in the excise policy case.
AAP workers staged a protest outside the residence of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, denouncing the ED’s actions.
Raghav Chadha, AAP leader, labeled the ED’s move as a conspiracy ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. “Just before the Lok Sabha elections, a big conspiracy is going on to arrest Arvind Kejriwal ji. Kejriwal ji has the blessings of crores of people. The wonderful works done in Delhi and Punjab are being discussed all over the world today. You can arrest Kejriwal’s body but cannot put Kejriwal’s ideology behind bars,” Chadha said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann echoed similar sentiments, stating that BJP’s political tactics cannot suppress Kejriwal’s ideology.
Delhi Minister Imran Hussain expressed disappointment over the situation, calling it a conspiracy to halt AAP’s progress.
ED had issued repeated summons to Kejriwal in the excise policy case, which he had skipped, citing the probe agency’s court actions against him.
According to the ED, they want to record Kejriwal’s statement on various aspects of the now-scrapped excise policy, including formulation and allegations of bribery.
Two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are already in judicial custody in connection with the excise policy case.
