Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi and national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case involving excise laws. Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the AAP, is detained for the first time as a chief minister in office.
In the excise policy-related money laundering case, the Delhi High Court had earlier denied a plea attempting to shield the Delhi Chief Minister from coercive action.
Subsequently, the Enforcement Directorate started searching Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, at his Civil Lines residence. Up until today, the Chief Minister of Delhi has ignored roughly nine ED summonses that were sent to him over the money laundering case.
Security beefed up outside Kejriwal’s home
Delhi Police has beefed up security outside his Civil Lines home as AAP will hold protest against Kejriwal’s arrest on Thursday. Personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and extra police officers have also been stationed there.
VIDEO | Security beefed up outside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/GfiltUJOkG
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 22, 2024
“The deployment was done in anticipation of an AAP workers’ gathering close to his home,” a police officer told news agency PTI.
The CM’s home was visited by AAP ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, and Rajinder Nagar MLA Durgesh Pathak.
Rahul Gandhi to visit Kejriwal’s family to offer legal support
Following the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress party, has reportedly contacted the Chief Minister’s family to reassure them of his and the party’s support.
According to the source, Rahul Gandhi would attempt to meet Kejriwal or his family on Friday in order to provide additional legal support.
‘Karma catches up’: Sharmistha Mukherjee
The daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, Sharmistha Mukherjee, charged on Friday that Kejriwal and the Anna Hazare organization had leveled “irresponsible, baseless allegations against Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, who was then the Chief Minister of Delhi.”
“He & Anna Hazare gang were responsible for making most irresponsible, baseless & wild allegations against Congress including Sheila Dikshit ji saying he had ‘trunk loads’ of evidence against her. No one has seen the ‘trunk’ so far. Karma catches up!” she said in a post on X.
Nationwide demonstrations against the Bharatiya Janata Party will take place today, according to AAP leader Gopal Rai, in response to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest on charges of corruption related to the city’s alcohol policy. “Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, was arrested by BJP agents.Democracy is being murdered by this. We shall stage a protest against the BJP party tomorrow at 10 a.m. in response to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s ED arrest”, said Rai.
