Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Arrested by Enforcement Directorate in Excise Policy Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, on Thursday night in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, making him the first serving Chief Minister to face arrest. The arrest followed months of Kejriwal avoiding summons from the ED, totaling nine, and occurred just hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant him interim protection. This development comes amidst the ongoing investigation into alleged kickbacks involving the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leaders regarding the 2021-22 Delhi excise policy.

Kejriwal’s detention has major political implications, sidelining him from the Lok Sabha campaign amid the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. His arrest was strategically executed following a thorough surveillance and planning by the Delhi Police to ensure a smooth operation by the ED, despite anticipated resistance from party workers and supporters who had previously gathered in large numbers to protest the summons.

The AAP has declared that Kejriwal will continue to serve as Chief Minister from jail, with senior party members expressing their determination to challenge the arrest and asserting that it will not dampen their ideology or resolve. The party has also sought to appeal to the Supreme Court for intervention. The case against Kejriwal is part of a broader investigation that also implicates several other AAP leaders and associates, asserting their involvement in a scheme to obtain undue advantages from the excise policy, with allegations of significant financial transactions to secure these favours.

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