ED Arrests Arvind Kejriwal In Excise Policy Case

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. According to Zee News TV, the ED will produce Kejriwal before a PMLA court tomorrow. As per the report, the ED also served arrest memo to Kejriwal. Earlier this evening, a team from the Enforcement Directorate visited the residence of the Delhi Chief Minister for questioning in connection with the alleged money laundering case related to the Delhi Excise policy scam. Senior Delhi Police officials including ACP rank officers and DCP North Manoj Meena are present at the CM’s residence. The security around the Delhi CM’s residence was increased before the arrest and paramilitary personnel have also been deployed and section 14Dum4 has also been imposed in the area to prevent the gathering of AAP workers. Around 8pm, additional team of some ED officials and paramilitary forces reached Delhi CM Kejriwal’s residence. According to reports, the ED wants to take Arvind Kejriwal to its office for questioning and thus it has called for additional teams. According to Zee News TV, around 12 ED officials are present inside Delhi CM’s residence. While Arvind Kejriwal’s personal phone is not reachable, all landline connections at his residence have also been terminated temporarily. The ED’s action came after the Delhi High Court today denied interim relief to the Delhi CM in the ED summons case related to the liquor policy. The ED team has reached CM’s residence with a search warrant. Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, who reached Kejriwal’s residence shortly after the ED raid commenced, said that he was not allowed to go inside and claimed that the central probe agency is planning to arrest the Delhi CM. AAP minister Atishi accused the ED of ignoring the HC order and questioned the central probe agency’s rush to arrest Kejriwal. It may be noted that the Delhi CM has moved to the High Court against the ED summons seeking a direction to the central probe agency to not take any coercive action against him. However, while the Delhi HC refused to provide any interim relief to Kejriwal, it also asked the ED to submit its reply in the case by April 22. However, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s legal team moved to the Supreme Court and filed a petition challenging the High Court’s order denying interim relief to him in the Excise policy case. Several AAP workers including Delhi Ministers reached the Delhi CM’s residence after the ED raid news and sloganeered against the BJP while supporting Kejriwal. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also reacted to the ED raid. “BJP’s political team (ED) cannot arrest Kejriwal’s thinking…because only AAP can stop BJP. Ideology/thinking can never be suppressed,” said Mann. Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal alleged political conspiracy. “All efforts are underway to arrest the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is providing world class education health electricity-water facilities in Delhi. Arresting him just before the elections in a case that has been going on for 2 years shows political conspiracy. The whole of Delhi and the whole country is with Kejriwal,” said Maliwal.Delhi ministers incuding Atishi and Sourabh Bhardwaj have alleged that the ED is planning to arrest Kejriwal just before elections to hamper Aam Aadmi Party’s Lok Sabha poll campaign. On the other hand, the BJP has accuse CM Kejriwal of evading probe agency accusing Kejriwal of being the mastermind of the Delhi Excise policy.

About Post Author