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India’s financial crime agency arrests Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
A day after Kejriwal's arrest, a Delhi Court remanded the CM to six days of ED custody.
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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal arrested by ED / Image: Wikipedia
Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, the country's national capital, was arrested on Mar. 21 in connection with the city's liquor policy. This comes weeks ahead of the crucial national elections in India. With this development, Kejriwal has become the first serving chief minister in the country to face an ED action
While being presented in front of the Rouse Avenue court in Delhi by the ED on Mar. 22, Kejriwal addressed reporters and said in Hindi, "My life is dedicated to the country. I will keep serving the nation even if I am behind bars," as reported by NDTV.
कायर तानाशाह से देशभक्त डरा नहीं करते
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) March 22, 2024
“मेरा जीवन देश के लिए समर्पित है
चाहे अंदर रहूँ या बाहर रहूँ”
- CM @ArvindKejriwal #देश_केजरीवाल_के_साथ_है pic.twitter.com/K38MhgpJQp
The ED sought 10-day custody of the Delhi CM and AAP chief from the court, alleging that he was the "kingpin" and a key conspirator in the liquor policy scam. A Delhi court also reserved its order on Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest by the ED.
Previously, the agency had arrested Kejriwal's deputy minister Manish Sisodia and AAP leader Sanjay Singh in the same case.
The Enforcement Directorate, India's financial crime agency, arrested Kejriwal in a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy of 2021-22. As per the ED, the chief minister and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members received kickbacks in exchange for favors.
A day after Kejriwal's arrest, top AAP leaders and party supporters carried out a protest outside his heavily guarded residence in the national capital. The 55-year-old founded the AAP over a decade ago in 2011. He was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi for the second time on February 14, 2015.
Delhi liquor policy controversy
The ED is investigating allegations that the Delhi government's liquor policy, aimed at ending control of liquor sales in the national capital, helped private retailers between 2021-22. While the policy was withdrawn, Kejriwal-led AAP claimed there was no evidence of wrongdoing in the ED investigation. The federal agency had issued at least nine summons to the Delhi CM for questioning, however, he did not answer them and sought protection from the court.
Notably, AAP is a member of the 27-party 'INDIA' opposition alliance that is challenging the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming national elections.
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