New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will continue to be incarcerated until at least April 29, a period extending to 10 days after the commencement of the Lok Sabha elections. This decision comes as the Supreme Court declined an immediate hearing of his plea challenging his arrest in connection with the alleged liquor policy corruption case. The court has directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the agency responsible for the arrest, to submit its response by April 27.
This setback to Kejriwal's anticipation for a prompt hearing and potential release for campaigning was further intensified when the Delhi High Court rejected his similar petition last week.
The Supreme Court highlighted that the ED had presented sufficient evidence supporting its claim. This claim suggests that the Chief Minister had a role in devising the now-defunct liquor policy and purportedly sought bribes amounting to ₹ 100 crore.
Earlier, after facing rejection from the High Court, Kejriwal had approached the Supreme Court. However, his plea had to wait as the apex court declined to form a special bench for his case. Additionally, the court remained closed due to Eid festivities on April 10, followed by a holiday on Friday.
During the proceedings in the High Court, Kejriwal strongly contested his arrest, emphasizing the timing of the federal agency's action. The AAP leader, a staunch critic of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was detained shortly after his plea for protection from arrest was denied. This occurred after he had avoided multiple summons, citing a political plot against his party ahead of the elections.
Kejriwal described his arrest as an "unprecedented assault on democratic principles," rooted in the values of "free and fair elections" and "federalism." The AAP has consistently refuted all allegations, branding the case against Kejriwal as a "politically motivated vendetta" aimed at undermining the party before the polls.
Despite these arguments, the High Court determined that the ED had provided adequate evidence to suggest Kejriwal's involvement in formulating the defunct liquor policy and soliciting bribes. Consequently, his arrest was validated and his plea dismissed.
The court also dismissed queries regarding the timing of the arrest, stating, "Political considerations cannot influence legal proceedings... This case is not a dispute between the central government and Arvind Kejriwal but between Kejriwal and the ED."
In a show of defiance, Kejriwal became the first incumbent Chief Minister to be arrested. A few weeks prior, opposition leader Hemant Soren of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha narrowly escaped this fate by resigning just moments before his ED arrest in an unrelated money laundering case.
Regarding the alleged liquor policy corruption, the ED has also detained two of Kejriwal's associates. His former deputy, Manish Sisodia, was arrested in February of the previous year, while Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was apprehended in October. Sanjay Singh was granted bail earlier this month by the Supreme Court, which posed probing questions to the ED, particularly regarding the six-month detention without trial.
The Supreme Court also sought explanations from the ED about the absence of any recovered bribe money. The court remarked, "No money has been recovered... There is no evidence of the alleged bribes received by the AAP for granting liquor permits to the 'South Group'."
Manish Sisodia's bail plea is scheduled for later today.
The ED has persistently alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party orchestrated a scheme to obtain ₹ 600 crore in bribes. This purportedly included funds from a 'South Group' led by opposition leader K Kavitha of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, who has also been arrested, in exchange for liquor retail and wholesale permits in the national capital.