Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested on Thursday by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the liquor probe making him the first sitting chief minister to be arrested ever. The arrest came within two months after Jharkhand’s Hemant Soren was arrested – another prominent leader of the opposition; Soren had resigned as the CM just before his arrest making way for Champai Soren to take the mantle of the government.
The AAP leadership, however, said Kejriwal will remain the chief minister and the national capital will be ruled from jail. Kejriwal’s arrest comes a week after another big-ticket arrest in connection with the liquor probe. BRS leader K Kavitha was arrested from Hyderabad last week and was brought to New Delhi.
While Kavitha’s arrest dropped hints that Kejriwal would be ED’s next target, a high court order on Thursday made it easier as the court denied granting any protection to Kejriwal from any coercive action of the agency. Hours after the high court verdict, ED officials swooped in at Kejriwal’s Civil Lines residence with a search warrant. After a few hours, Kejriwal was taken into custody.
Why Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested ?
Kejriwal was summoned by the ED to join the probe sine last year but citing various engagements Kejriwal skipped all the summons so far. Kejriwal moved the court and challenged the ED summons calling them unconstitutional. A major blow came to Kejriwal after the court on Thursday said it has no intention to get into the case at this stage.
The case pertains to the liquor policy which was scrapped after allegations of corruption. Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh were arrested earlier in connection with the same case.
What’s next for Kejriwal?
Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi said the party has already moved the Supreme Court for quashing the arrest of Kejriwal. “We have asked for an urgent hearing by the Supreme Cpurt tonight itself,” Atishi posted on X.
Meanwhile, the AAP leadership said Kejriwal will remain the chief minister as it was decided after a survey of ‘Main Bhi Kejriwal’ at 23.8 lakh households in Delhi.
Arvind Kejriwal, a 55-year-old Indian politician, became Delhi’s first chief minister in 2013 following the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare. He became the second youngest chief minister after resigning in 2015 after failing to table the Jan Lokpal Bill. In 2015, he won the Aam Aadmi Party election and in 2020, the AAP returned to power. Kejriwal studied mechanical engineering at IIT-Kharagpur and joined the Indian Revenue Services in 1995. He resigned as joint commissioner of income tax in 2006.
AAP’s Gopal Rai Calls for Nationwide Protest Against BJP
Gopal Rai, convener of AAP’s Delhi unit, has called for a nationwide protest against the BJP following the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate.
Rai said Kejriwal’s arrest is the “murder of democracy” and an “announcement of dictatorship”.
The ED arrested Kejriwal in an excise policy-linked money laundering case on Thursday night and took him to the agency’s headquarters here, officials said.
The arrest, the first of a sitting chief minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the agency.
“I appeal to the countrymen to protest outside BJP offices across the country against this dictatorship. We will gather at the AAP office tomorrow at 10 am and then protest outside BJP headquarters,” the Delhi minister said.
“If Kejriwal can be arrested, anyone can be arrested and their voice can be suppressed. From today, the fight has begun. Arvind Kejriwal is not a person but an ideology,” he said.
“Ever since the INDIA bloc was formed, BJP feels it will not get 400 seats but will only be restricted to 40 seats in Lok Sabha polls,” Rai said.
They are targeting opposition leaders, he alleged.
“Today, they have crossed all limits. You will all go back to your homes tonight. I appeal to Delhiites to join the fight,” the minister said.
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(Source: HT)
