Arvind Kejriwal: Following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in the alleged liquor policy scam, his Aam Aadmi Party has called for statewide rallies outside BJP offices today.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear Mr Kejriwal’s case against his arrest today, a day after it denied an immediate hearing on his plea against the raids. Meanwhile, the investigation agency would bring the Chief Minister before an ED court.
In a bid to bolster security measures, the police have sealed off all access roads leading to the AAP headquarters, restricting vehicular traffic and permitting only pedestrian movement. The AAP has called upon all its office-bearers, ministers, and councilors to convene at the main office by 10 am.
Water cannons and paramilitary forces have been stationed along the DDU road, which directly links to the BJP headquarters. Additionally, by the recommendation of the Delhi Police, the Delhi Metro announced the closure of the ITO Metro station from 8 am to 6 pm today.
The arrest of Mr. Kejriwal, occurring just weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, has sparked widespread protests among thousands of party supporters and drawn strong condemnation from the Opposition. Sources indicate that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Mr. Kejriwal’s family today.
The AAP has declared that Mr. Kejriwal will maintain his role as chief minister while in jail—a move that legal experts warn could potentially trigger a constitutional crisis.
During a press conference this morning, Delhi minister Atishi characterized the arrest as a “political conspiracy orchestrated by the BJP.”
This marks the inaugural instance of a sitting Chief Minister being arrested by the central government. It’s unprecedented in the nation’s history for the national convener of a political party to be apprehended following the declaration of Lok Sabha elections. The arrest of Arvind Kejriwal is deemed as a political maneuver by the BJP,” she asserted.
Arrest
The Enforcement Directorate, probing a potential money laundering aspect in the purported liquor policy scandal, labeled Mr. Kejriwal as a “conspirator.”
The investigation team arrived at Mr. Kejriwal’s residence last evening with a search warrant after he failed to respond to nine summonses from the central agency. Subsequently, the Delhi High Court declined to provide him with protection from arrest later in the day.
The agency apprehended him around 9 pm following a search and questioning session, escorting him to the ED office. Both his and his wife’s phones were seized, and data was extracted from two tablets and a laptop at his residence. Mr. Kejriwal reportedly spent the night in an ED lock-up after undergoing a medical examination at RML Hospital, according to sources.
During a post-midnight press conference, AAP announced a nationwide protest against the BJP scheduled for Friday. In Delhi, the protest will specifically target the BJP headquarters.
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Less than a week has passed since BRS leader K Kavitha was detained in connection with the liquor policy issue when Mr. Kejriwal was arrested. After Ms. Kavitha’s detention, Mr. Kejriwal was first identified as a conspirator.