Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal spent the night at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office yesterday after his arrest in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
The arrest came following searches at Mr Kejriwal's official residence at Flagstaff Road in Civil Lines area of the national capital on Thursday, carried out by the probe agency. The 55-year-old was also visited by medical personnel for a routine check-up at the probe agency office, as is customary before being presented in court.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has called for a nationwide protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), labelling Mr Kejriwal's arrest as the "murder of democracy" and an "announcement of dictatorship."
Mr Kejriwal's plea will be heard by a special bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bela Trivedi and MM Sundresh today. The Delhi Chief Minister is also expected to be produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court while the ED may seek a 10-day custody for further interrogation.
Security around the ED office and the Chief Minister's residence have been heightened, with the Delhi Police and central armed police forces setting up additional barricades in anticipation of the planned protests.
The scrapped excise policy, introduced to bring an overhaul to the national capital's liquor business, promised a more modern shopping experience with discounts and offers. However, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena's order to investigate alleged irregularities prompted the policy's cancellation. The AAP accuses Mr Saxena's predecessor, Anil Baijal, of making last-minute changes that adversely affected the policy's revenue expectations.
Two prominent AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are already under judicial custody in connection with the case. Mr Sisodia, the former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 last year, while Mr Singh, a Rajya Sabha member, was arrested by the ED on October 5.
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