Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate from his Civil Lines residence. This came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant him interim relief from any coercive action by the probe agency.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from his residence on Thursday evening in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. Following his arrest, Kejriwal was taken to the Enforcement Directorate headquarters where he will spend the night.
The development came hours after the Delhi High Court refused interim relief to the AAP supremo in connection with the Enforcement Directorate summonses issued to him in the liquor policy case. Notably, Kejriwal was issued nine summonses by the probe agency to join questioning in connection with the ongoing investigation but he refused to comply.
#WATCH | Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal brought to the ED Headquarters.
Enforcement Directorate team arrested him in the Excice Policy Case. pic.twitter.com/iMSzw6QmgF
— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2024
Shortly after the court hearing, a team of Enforcement Directorate officials reached Kejriwal’s Civil Lines residence. The probe officials conducted searches at his residence and also questioned the Chief Minister.
The mobile phones of Arvind Kejriwal and his family members were also taken away by the officials, sources said.
Massive police deployment and barricading was in place outside the Chief Minister’s residence as AAP leaders and supporters gathered to protest. AAP MLA Rakhi Birla, who was protesting outside his house, was detained by the police.
Later, Kejriwal was taken to the Enforcement Directorate office in a car after the probe agency officials completed their searches at his residence.
This is the first time that a sitting Chief Minister has been arrested.
Shortly after, the AAP moved the Supreme Court seeking to quash the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. “We have moved the Supreme Court and have prayed for an urgent hearing tonight,” said AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj.
The Supreme Court hearing is likely to take place on Friday, sources said.
Arvind Kejriwal will be produced before a special PMLA court on Friday and the Enforcement Directorate will seek his custody for interrogation, officials said.
AAP minister Atishi said Kejriwal “is and will remain” the Chief Minister of Delhi.
“We have always said that Arvind Kejriwal will run the government from jail. He will remain the Chief Minister of Delhi. We have filed a case in the Supreme Court. Our lawyers are reaching the Supreme Court,” Atishi told the media.