AAP Workers Protest Against Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest In Liquor Policy Case, Several Detained

Several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs were among workers who were today detained as they were protesting their national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case.

The AAP workers were protesting outside the residence of Mr Kejriwal in the national capital, shortly after the ED team reached there to arrest him in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case.

Restrictions under CrPC Section 144 were imposed near Mr Kejriwal's residence.

The ED team, along with an escort of the Delhi Police, reached Mr Kejriwal's official residence on Flagstaff Road, hours after the Delhi High Court denied him relief in the case.

Mr Kejriwal has become the first sitting chief minister to be arrested in the history of Independent India and his party has said he will continue to hold the post. 

His arrest has come just weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha election. 

READ | Explained: Why Enforcement Directorate Arrested Arvind Kejriwal

Mr Kejriwal had moved the high court in the wake of the Enforcement Directorate's latest summons, the ninth issued by the probe agency, asking him to appear before it today.

The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped.

Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested in connection with the case in February last year, and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was taken into custody in October.

BRS leader K Kavitha was also arrested in the Delhi liquor policy case last week.

In a press note released after Ms Kavitha's arrest on Sunday, the ED had called Mr Kejriwal a conspirator in the alleged liquor policy scam.

"ED investigation revealed that Ms K Kavitha along with others conspired with the top leaders of AAP including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia for getting favours in the Delhi Excise policy formulation and implementation. In exchange of these favours, she was involved in paying Rs 100 Crore to the leaders of AAP," the press note said.

"By the acts of corruption and conspiracy in the formulation and implementation of Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, a continuous stream of illegal funds in the form of kickback, from the wholesalers was generated for the AAP. Further, Smt K Kavitha and her associates were to recover the proceeds of crime paid in advance to AAP and to further generate profits/proceeds of crime from this entire conspiracy," it added.