The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in an excise policy-linked money laundering case on Thursday night and took him to the agency’s headquarters in the national capital. The arrest came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the agency. Meanwhile, the Delhi Chief Minister moved to the Supreme Court against his arrest and a special bench is likely to hear the matter today. The 55-year-old leader’s arrest, amid the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, drew angry reactions from his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The party said Kejriwal “will continue as the chief minister of Delhi.” The ED has filed a total of six charge sheets in this case till now and attached assets worth over Rs 128 crore.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi is scheduled to bring up Arvind Kejriwal’s petition before the Chief Justice of India’s bench in the Supreme Court at 10:30 am today. The petition, filed late last night, seeks urgent judicial intervention in the matter
NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar slammed the central government over the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the ED. “It is not right to arrest the Chief Minister of any state. Modi government is strangulating the democracy. We will stand stand firmly with Kejriwal. The Delhi CM has been arrested keeping the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in mind,” Pawar added
Delhi Police has issued a traffic advisory amid Aam Aadmi Party’s call for the nationwide protests today against the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. “In view of the proposed protest by the Political party at DDU Marg Delhi, Traffic will remain heavy at IP Marg, Vikas Marg, Minto Road and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. DDU marg will remain closed for traffic movement. Kindly avoid these roads and plan your journey accordingly,” the Delhi traffic police added.
