New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, has been apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the now-defunct Delhi liquor policy scandal. This action followed raids at his residence shortly after the Delhi High Court declined to grant him interim protection from arrest. A team of eleven from the ED arrived at Arvind Kejriwal's residence on Thursday evening armed with a search warrant related to the Delhi excise policy money laundering case, and proceeded to conduct a search.
Reports indicate that Arvind Kejriwal will undergo a medical examination before being presented in court tomorrow, Friday. His arrest marks the fourth high-profile detention in the Delhi excise policy investigation, following those of Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and K. Kavitha.
Raghav Chadha, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Rajya Sabha MP, has strongly criticized the actions of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in raiding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy 'scam' case. Kejriwal was subsequently arrested following the raid.
The Enforcement Directorate arrived at Arvind Kejriwal's residence in Delhi's Civil Lines around 7 pm, conducting a search and questioning session. Personal electronic devices belonging to Kejriwal and his wife were seized and examined for potential evidence, with data being recorded by the probe agency.
Near Kejriwal's residence, the Delhi Police imposed Section 144, prohibiting gatherings of four or more people.
Taking to a micro-blogging site, Chadha asserted, "There is a big conspiracy underway to detain Arvind Kejriwal just before the Lok Sabha elections. Kejriwal enjoys the support of millions, and no one can harm him."
He continued, "The remarkable achievements in Delhi and Punjab are gaining global attention today. While Kejriwal's physical presence may be restrained, his vision and principles remain untouched."
Atishi, another AAP leader and Delhi minister, also denounced the actions of the Enforcement Directorate.
In a legal setback for Kejriwal, the Delhi High Court refused to grant him protection from arrest but directed the ED to respond to his petition by April 22.
The 'scam' case revolves around alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of Delhi's excise policy for 2021-22, subsequently annulled. The ED has alleged that illegal funds were generated through corruption and conspiracy, benefiting the AAP.
Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested in connection with the case in February of the previous year, while AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was apprehended in October.
Kejriwal has now turned to the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing.
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