Arvind Kejriwal Arrested: Security Raised Amid Protests In The City

Arvind Kejriwal withdrew his plea against the Enforcement Directorate from the Supreme Court on Friday over the Delhi Excise Policy case after the court agreed to hear the plea.

The Enforcement Directorate arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday in connection with the liquor policy case. The agency took this action after the Delhi High Court declined to grant him protection, leading to his further detention.

AAP leader Atishi stated that Arvind Kejriwal would not resign from the position of Delhi Chief Minister and would continue to serve. The Bhartiya Janata Party has also sought resignation from Kejriwal. Following the arrest, the AAP has led a protest outside the offices of the BJP.

Authorities have blocked the routes leading to the BJP offices and have set up several barricades. Due to the huge gathering of AAP workers, the traffic police have asked people to avoid choosing routes in central Delhi amid an ongoing protest.

Several leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party are already behind bars, and the CM’s arrest is against the party’s reputation. Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Kejriwal’s spouse, Sunita Kejriwal, may now lead the party ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections. 

Atishi also stated that Arvind Kejriwal will continue to stand by and serve, even from behind bars, because no court has proven him guilty and no law currently prevents him from managing the government from prison.

Kejriwal will appear in the special court on Friday, where the Enforcement Directorate will seek his custody. Kejriwal skipped nine summonses from the ED and stated that they were “illegal and politically motivated.”

After Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, Kejriwal is the third AAP leader to be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the course of the investigation.

Related: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Skips ED Summons Over Jal Board Case