Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by ED from his residence in the capital city of India. His arrest took place after more than an hour of interrogation by the law enforcement agency. This decision coming just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections may make a big impact on polls and equations around it.
Speculations were doing rounds on some major action by ED after the Delhi High Court refused interim relief to him. As the interrogation began, AAP supporters were appealed to join at Kejriwal’s residence. The CM has been arrested in the much controversial liquor policy scam case worth hundreds of crores.
What next?
He will be produced in a special PMLA court tomorrow. His legal team filed an application in the Supreme Court today but no miracle was in store for Kejriwal.
With this arrest, Kejriwal has become the first chief minister of Delhi to be arrested during his tenure in the office.
#WATCH | AAP leader Atishi says, “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… pic.twitter.com/XWQJ1D6ziR
— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2024
Before his arrest, AAP supporters were detained from outside his residence as they came to support their leader and protest against ED’s procedures.
Pre-arrest activities
As officers of ED went into the CM’s residence, high security of Delhi police and RAF was enforced and section 144 was imposed in the area. His mobile phone was confiscated during the interrogation. It was then that the arrest seemed to happen and AAP workers were appealed to join.
Legal nuances that changed the fate
Earlier today, the court rejected Kejriwal’s request for protection against coercive measures in a money laundering case related to the excise policy.
A bench led by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait scheduled further consideration of the AAP leader’s plea for April 22, coinciding with the main hearing of his petition challenging the summonses. The court directed the Enforcement Directorate to submit its response.
“We have listened to both sides and are currently not inclined to grant protection,” stated the bench, which also included Justice Manoj Jain. “The respondent has the freedom to file a reply.”
The ED presented documents to the court regarding the investigation, indicating the necessity of questioning Kejriwal. The request for interim relief is part of Kejriwal’s petition contesting the summonses issued by the ED.
Kejriwal approached the court following the latest summons, the ninth issued by the ED, summoning him to appear on Thursday.
