Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged liquor policy scam. This arrest marks a historic moment as Mr. Kejriwal becomes the first sitting chief minister to face arrest in the history of Independent India.
The Enforcement Directorate, which was investigating the money laundering aspect of the case, conducted a raid at Mr. Kejriwal’s residence. A team of 12 officials arrived at his residence with a search warrant and proceeded to question him before eventually placing him under arrest. Phones belonging to Mr. Kejriwal and his wife were confiscated, and data from two tablets and a laptop were transferred.
Reacting to the arrest, Delhi minister Atishi condemned it as a conspiracy orchestrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She asserted that Mr. Kejriwal would continue to serve as the Delhi chief minister despite being in custody, emphasizing that he embodies a political ideology rather than being merely an individual.
Furthermore, Atishi highlighted that Mr. Kejriwal has not been convicted and affirmed that the AAP will pursue legal recourse, having approached the Supreme Court against his arrest. She emphasized the party’s determination to continue the fight against what they perceive as political vendetta.
The arrest comes amidst a backdrop of escalating tensions between the AAP and the BJP, with allegations of misuse of central agencies for political vendetta. Several AAP leaders and ministers have been subjected to scrutiny and raids by investigative agencies in recent years.
The timing of Mr. Kejriwal’s arrest, just weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to commence on April 19, has raised eyebrows and fueled speculation about the politicization of law enforcement agencies in the run-up to the elections.
Meanwhile, the deployment of security personnel outside Mr. Kejriwal’s residence and the detainment of AAP workers who gathered to protest his arrest further underscored the charged atmosphere surrounding the incident.
This development follows the recent arrest of BRS leader K Kavitha in the same liquor policy case, where Mr. Kejriwal was named as a conspirator for the first time. With the arrest of Mr. Kejriwal, the political landscape in Delhi and the wider national arena is likely to witness heightened tensions and increased scrutiny in the days to come.