US reaffirms call for fair legal process on Kejriwal's arrest

The Indian government expressed dissatisfaction with the US's remarks, stressing the nation's independent judiciary committed to objective and timely outcomes

US reaffirms call for fair legal process on Kejriwal's arrest / Screengrab from official video

India summoned a senior US diplomat in response to Washington's comments on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The US reiterated its stance on fair and transparent legal processes, prompting India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to assert its objections.

US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasized the importance of fair, transparent, and timely legal proceedings regarding Kejriwal's arrest and the freezing of Congress's bank accounts. However, Miller refrained from commenting on India's summoning of the US diplomat, citing the confidentiality of diplomatic discussions.

“We are also aware of the Congress party's allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections. And we encourage fair, transparent, and timely legal processes for each of these issues. With respect to your first question, I'm not going to talk about any private diplomatic conversations. But of course, what we have said publicly is what I just said from here, that we encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes,” he said.

MEA officials held a meeting with Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena to convey India's strong protest against the US's "closely monitoring" remarks. The meeting, lasting over 30 minutes, underscored India's stance on respecting sovereignty and internal affairs, particularly among fellow democracies.

The Indian government expressed dissatisfaction with the US's remarks, stressing the nation's independent judiciary committed to objective and timely outcomes. The MEA cautioned against casting doubt on India's legal processes, labeling such actions as unwarranted and potentially setting unhealthy precedents.

This diplomatic exchange follows India's previous protest against Germany's foreign ministry over remarks concerning Kejriwal's arrest. The arrest was made by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to the liquor policy.