Arvind Kejriwal arrest: Delhi High Court hears AAP leader's plea against ED arrest

Arvind Kejriwal arrest: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday took up the petition filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was arersted in a money-laundering case linked to the said scam.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju sought time to file a detailed reply to Kejriwal's plea. Advocate Raju stated that they got a copy of the petition only Tuesday.

Arvind Kejriwal's petition seeks his immediate release on the grounds of the purportedly "illegal" nature of his arrest and subsequent remand to the Enforcement Directorate. Last week, Arvind Kejriwal had approached the Delhi High Court with his plea, though sources revealed that his request for an urgent hearing was declined due to the court's closure for the Holi festival.

A trial court on Friday extended the ED custody of the AAP leader until March 28 "for detailed and sustained interrogation."

The Enforcement Directorate's arrest of Arvind Kejriwal came shortly after the HC rejected his plea for protection against coercive measures by the federal anti-money laundering agency.

Earlier, Kejriwal had sought the court's intervention to annul all proceedings, including summonses, issued against him.

Case Background

The allegations revolve around purported corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was subsequently revoked. Key AAP figures Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are currently in judicial custody in connection with the case.

Kejriwal's involvement has been repeatedly mentioned in the chargesheets filed by the Enforcement Directorate, alleging that the accused coordinated with him to devise the excise policy, resulting in undue benefits for them in exchange for kickbacks paid to the AAP.

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