Kejriwal a leader within an opposition coalition that is contesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP in the upcoming elections next month.
Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi and a prominent figure in the opposition, has been apprehended by India’s financial crime agency concerning corruption accusations linked to the city’s liquor policy, as reported by his party.
Kejriwal’s arrest on Thursday signifies that the principal figures of the decade-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are currently incarcerated, following the apprehensions last year of two of Kejriwal’s deputies in the same matter, which the party has labeled as “dirty politics.”
Atishi Singh, Delhi’s finance minister, has refuted the accusations and asserted that the AAP is endeavoring to nullify the recent arrest. “We have requested an immediate hearing by the Supreme Court tonight itself,” she declared.
Singh affirmed that Kejriwal will maintain his position as Delhi’s chief minister while the party combats the allegations. She characterized his arrest as a “political conspiracy” engineered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), a financial crime agency, is probing allegations regarding a liquor policy introduced by the Delhi government in 2022. This policy, which relinquished the government’s control over liquor sales in the capital, is suspected of bestowing undue advantages upon private retailers.
Kejriwal’s administration implemented a controversial policy that terminated the government’s monopoly on liquor sales.
The policy has subsequently been rescinded. The AAP has emphasized that no evidence of misconduct has surfaced during the investigation, with Kejriwal stating previously that if he were corrupt, “then there is no one in this world who is honest.”
According to local media reports, Kejriwal will appear before a court on Friday, where the charges against him will be disclosed.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued nine summons to Kejriwal for interrogation, but he refrained from responding, expressing concerns that he might be arrested. Additionally, he sought protection from arrest from the court, citing potential weakening of his party in the elections if such an event were to occur.
Virendra Sachdeva, the head of the BJP’s Delhi office, accused Kejriwal of making excuses to evade explaining his involvement in the case. “The kind of political theatrics he was engaged in has come to an end today,” Sachdeva remarked. “Finally, the truth has prevailed.”
Kejriwal’s lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, informed the court on Thursday that the agency was being misused by the Modi government to undermine his party ahead of India’s national elections.
Opposition parties, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, expressed concern over the incident. Gandhi stated, “The arrest of elected Chief Ministers has become a common occurrence.”
AAP is a member of the 27-party “INDIA” bloc, an opposition coalition aiming to challenge Modi’s BJP in the national elections commencing in April.
Kejriwal established the AAP, which translates to “common man’s party” in Hindi, in 2011.
Following news of his arrest, his supporters staged protests outside his residence, leading to clashes with security forces.
