Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Arrested By ED In Liquorgate Case, AAP Says 'Murder of Democracy'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy case after two hours of questioning.

A team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached the residence of Kejriwal on Thursday evening to question him in connection with the excise policy case.

This came hours after the Delhi High Court denied any interim protection from arrest to Kejriwal in connection with the summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the liquor policy scam case.

The ED team informed Kejriwal’s staff at his residence that it had a search warrant against him in the excise policy case.

AAP called for a nationwide protest outside BJP offices against CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by ED.

Kejriwal Seeks Urgent SC Hearing

Meanwhile, sources said the Delhi CM’s team filed a petition challenging HC’s order denying interim relief to him in the excise policy case. Sources in the legal team confirmed that an urgent hearing before the Supreme Court was being attempted. However, the hearing was granted for Friday.

How Leaders Reacted to Kejriwal’s Arrest?

AAP minister Atishi said that Kejriwal will remain the chief minister of Delhi. “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.

AAP leader and Delhi minister Gopal Rai said this is murder of democracy and announcement of undeclared democracy in the country.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said two sitting Chief Ministers arrested before general elections is “absolute fascism”. “The “law” has been weaponised. Will we the people save our nation?” he wrote in a post on X.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh’s wife Anita Singh said, “This government (present central government) is just a dictatorial government. If they want to put all the opposition leaders in jail, then what is the need to hold elections? Arvind Kejriwal’s house has been raided and security has been increased, all the phones found have been confiscated. So this is how the dictatorial government is putting everyone in jail without any proof.”

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said Arvind Kejriwal was continuously making excuses in the liquor policy scam since 2020-21 and the kind of political theatrics he was doing has been put to an end today. “Today finally the truth has won and I believe that the conspiracy hatched by Arvind Kejriwal and his government to push the entire youth into alcoholism was bound to result in this. Truth had to prevail and Arvind Kejriwal had to be punished for his sins,” he said.

Kovai Sathyan, AIADMK Spokesperson said this arrest proves that there is a three-point agenda for the BJP. “First, whoever opposes the BJP, should contest from behind bars. Second, whoever is opposing BJP, will run out of funds and will be unable to use party funds. Third, whoever is out on bail, BJP will not have any hesitation to have an alliance with them…,” he added.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin said the relentless persecution of opposition leaders by the BJP Govt smacks of a desperate witch-hunt.

RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav said the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal clearly shows that instead of fighting the opposition democratically, BJP wants to fight the elections under the cover and strong help of investigative agencies and other constitutional institutions.

What Did Delhi HC Say?

According to a Bar and Bench report, the Court further listed the matter of Kejriwal’s plea for interim protection for April 22 along with his main petition challenging the probe agency’s summons.

“At this stage, we are not inclined to pass any order,” the court said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief had earlier skipped multiple summonses of the agency in the case.

Earlier in the day, a Delhi High Court bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain refused to grant Kejriwal any protection from coercive action in the case.

The bench listed the AAP leader’s application for further consideration on April 22 when his main petition challenging the summons is fixed for hearing, and asked the Enforcement Directorate to file its response. The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped.

AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in the case. Kejriwal’s name has been mentioned multiple times in the charge sheets filed by the ED. The agency has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal for formulating the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits to them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the AAP.

(With ANI, PTI inputs)