Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, has taken a decisive step in the legal arena, challenging his recent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
With the matter heating up, Kejriwal's legal team is gearing up to petition the Delhi High Court for an urgent hearing, aiming preferably for Sunday, sources from his Aam Aadmi Party revealed.
The ED had detained Kejriwal on Friday night, securing a remand in their custody until March 28, citing the need for "detailed and sustained interrogation." However, in a bold move, Kejriwal contests the legality of his arrest and subsequent detention, asserting his right to immediate release.
In his plea to the high court, Kejriwal argues that his apprehension and subsequent remand by the ED were conducted unlawfully, emphasizing his entitlement to freedom from custody without delay. This legal maneuver comes on the heels of the high court's recent denial of protection against coercive action sought by Kejriwal from the central anti-money laundering agency.
Kejriwal's legal battle extends further, with a previous petition filed to quash all proceedings and summonses issued against him. In this petition, Kejriwal paints himself as a vocal critic of the ruling party, a prominent opposition figure, and a key player in the INDIA bloc. He alleges that the ED, operating under the central government's auspices, has been weaponized against him.
At the heart of the controversy lies the alleged corruption and money laundering surrounding the formulation and execution of Delhi's excise policy for the fiscal year 2021-22, a policy ultimately discarded due to its contentious nature. Notably, senior AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh find themselves behind bars in connection with the same case.
Kejriwal's name repeatedly surfaces in the ED's charge sheets, with the agency alleging direct communication between the accused and Kejriwal in devising the excise policy. The ED contends that certain individuals, purportedly in collusion with Kejriwal, reaped undue benefits from the policy, paying kickbacks to the AAP in return.
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