Why was Arvind Kejriwal arrested before polls? Supreme Court asks ED

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, april 30, 2024: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Enforcement Directorate to respond to the questions related to the timing of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest just before the general elections.

A bench was hearing Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest and remand by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi liquor policy case.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna said, "Liberty is exceedingly important, you can’t deny that. The last question is concerning the timing of the arrest, which they have pointed out, just before the general elections."

The top court also asked the probe agency to respond and explain the time gap which is taking place between the initiation of proceedings and repeated complaints being filed after some time.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Arvind Kejriwal, told the court that there was no trace of proceeds of crime and lack of proof of the Aam Aadmi Party chief’s direct involvement in the case.

The ED has been asked to respond on May 3, Friday, when the next hearing takes place.

Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy. He has been lodged in Tihar Jail since April 1 and will remain in judicial custody till May 7.

On April 9, the Delhi High Court ruled it had found nothing illegal about the Chief
Minister’s arrest.