Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi and national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to the excise policy case, according to sources. In response, AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi announced that the party has petitioned the Supreme Court to invalidate Kejriwal’s arrest, requesting an expedited hearing.
Atishi revealed on social media, “We have petitioned the Supreme Court to invalidate the ED’s arrest of Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal, seeking an immediate hearing tonight.” She previously mentioned that Kejriwal would continue to govern from incarceration, stating, “ED has detained Arvind Kejriwal… We’ve always maintained that he would govern from jail. He remains Delhi’s CM. We’ve approached the Supreme Court, with our attorneys en route. We’ll urge the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing tonight.”
Following the Delhi High Court’s denial of interim protection against coercive action in the excise policy case, an ED team conducted a search and questioning at Kejriwal’s residence on Thursday. This led to AAP supporters protesting outside his home.
The denial of interim protection came after Kejriwal sought to avoid any coercive measures against him in the case. The court, however, was not inclined to grant this protection at the time.
The arrest has sparked controversy, with AAP leader Raghav Chadha suggesting it’s part of a larger conspiracy to target Kejriwal ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, emphasizing that while Kejriwal’s physical presence may be detained, his ideology remains unconfined. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann echoed this sentiment, stating that the BJP’s political arm, the ED, cannot imprison Kejriwal’s ideas.
Delhi Minister Imran Hussain also criticized the arrest as a plot against the AAP and Kejriwal, highlighting the support for Kejriwal among Delhi’s populace.
Kejriwal had previously ignored multiple ED summons in the case, with the agency seeking to interrogate him regarding the formulation and approval of the now-revoked excise policy and allegations of bribery. Senior AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are also in judicial custody related to the same case, with Sisodia arrested by the CBI and Singh by the ED.
