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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate officials 21 March, hours after they reached his residence to conduct searches in the Delhi excise policy case. His arrest came after the Delhi CM skipped nine summons by the ED in the case.
Here what happened so far, 10 points to know
1. No protection from arrest: Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to grant protection from arrest to Kejriwal in the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case. This came after the Delhi CM had filed an application in the Delhi HC seeking interim relief from arrest. This was a part of his petition challenging the nine ED summons he received in the money laundering case.
Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE
2. ED raided CM’s residence
The ED officials began conducting searches at the AAP convener’s official residence after the Delhi HC refused to grant him protection from arrest. A 10-member team of ED reached his residence and within two hours, the Aam Aadmi Party leader was arrested after the ED team began its search on the premises. During the ED investigation inside Delhi CM’s residence, heavy security forces were deployed near his residence to deal with any adverse situation. Additional Delhi police personnel and Rapid Action Force and CRPF teams were deployed around the chief minister’s residence.
3. ‘No evidence during search’, claims Saurabh Bharadwaj
Senior AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday night said that ED did not find any evidence at Arvind Kejriwal’s residence during their search. All ED found was ₹70,000 which they returned, said Bharadwaj, who was present at Kejriwal’s Civil Line residence when ED arrested him. The agency did not find any evidence, any property documents, illegal money or any money trail during their raid, he added. Bharadwaj claimed that the ED searched the chief minister’s residence and took his mobile phone before arresting him.
4. Supreme Court hearing likely today
Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED moved to the Supreme Court. However, he did not receive any special hearing late at night. Sources told news agency ANI that no special bench was set up on Thursday night to hear Delhi CM’s plea against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. However, while addressing the media, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi informed that, “We have filed an application in the Supreme Court against the illegal arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. It will be mentioned in the Supreme Court tomorrow morning. We hope that the Supreme Court will protect democracy.”
5. Rahul Gandhi to meet Kejriwal’s family today
After the Delhi Chief Minister’s arrest by the ED on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi, the head of the Congress, contacted Arvind Kejriwal’s family to reassure them of his and the old party’s support, party sources told ANI. They said that Gandhi will make an effort to meet with Kejriwal or his family on Friday in order to provide more legal support.
6. Nationwide protest by AAP today
AAP leader Gopal Rai announced nationwide protests to be held today against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Delhi CM’s arrest. Delhi Minister and AAP leader Rai said,”…The BJP sent agencies and got Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal arrested…This is the murder of democracy.”
7. Kejriwal first serving CM to be arrested?
Arvind Kejriwal has become the second Opposition Chief Minister to be arrested by ED in less than two months. Before him, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was arrested in January, 2024 by ED in connection with a graft case. Soren was, however, replaced by his party colleague Champai Soren as the new CM of Jharkhand. There have been many cases of Chief Ministers getting arrested in the past. In some cases, the Chief Minister resigned soon after or before the arrest.
8. Kejriwal to run government from behind the bars?
Delhi government minister Atishi said on Thursday, soon after Kejriwal’s arrest, that he will not resign as the Chief Minister of Delhi. Running office from behind the bars is logistically impractical, but there is no law that stops a Chief Minister from doing so. The Chief Minister can lose the top job under only two conditions – loss of majority support in the assembly or through a successful no-confidence motion against the government in power that the Chief Minister leads.
9. BJP calls Kejriwal’s arrest ‘victory of truth’
BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa termed Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest as the “victory of truth”. He said, “This is the situation today with a Chief Minister elected by the people. Such behaviour in India is the murder of democracy.” BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the arrest has been done with a view to take appropriate action against corruption.
10. What is excise policy case about?
The Delhi excise policy 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. Currently, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in the case. Delhi CM’s name has been mentioned multiple times in the chargesheets 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 for them, in return for which they paid kickbacks to the AAP.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
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Published: 22 Mar 2024, 08:29 AM IST
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