Arvind Kejriwal in ED remand: AAP-BJP trade charges as Delhi CM sent to ED custody till March 28

BJP leader Bansuri Swaraj held a press conference hours after the court sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to 6-day ED custody. 

“When summons are issued to you under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), then it is your legal duty to participate in the investigation. Arvind Kejriwal with insolence ignored nine ED summonses, forcing the agency to take him for custodial investigation,” she said.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Kejriwal's ED remand | "... It is Arvind Kejriwal today, it can be someone else tomorrow. This government will spare no one... The world is supporting Arvind Kejriwal. And when things like this happen at a global scale, revolutions happen and governments are overturned. The countdown of the Central government has begun on 21 March... BJP supporters are also coming to us and saying, all was fine till now, but this has become a little too much."

After the Delhi court sent Arvind Kejriwal to six-day ED custody, AAP Atishi in a presser said that they do not agree with the decision and alleged that the present government wants to win elections with the help of ED.

"We, very respectfully and humbly disagree with the decision of the court. ED has no proof even after two years of investigation... ED forced their witnesses to give statements against Arvind Kejriwal... We will explore all possible legal routes... One by one opposition parties are being targetted in front of the judiciary... Arvind Kejriwarl will always be the CM of Delhi. There is no Constitutional bar on him not being the CM. He has not been convicted till now...," Atishi said.

AAP minister Atishi on functioning of Delhi government following Kejriwal's arrest |  "The (Delhi) government was running before, and it will continues to run. Arvind Kejriwal was Delhi's CM, is Delhi's CM, and will remain Delhi's CM. No constitutional provision requires him to resign. The entire Cabinet is intact, each department is functioning efficiently."

AAP Minister Atishi held a press conference as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was sent to six-day ED custody by Rouse Avenue court in Delhi. She said the BJP wants to win the election with the help of ED.

AAP Minister Atishi will hold a press conference as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was sent to six-day ED custody by Rouse Avenue court in Delhi.

Delhi court remanded CM Arvind Kejriwal on ED custody till 28 March in an excise policy case.

The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and freezing of Congress' bank accounts shows the BJP is scared of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Pankhuri Pathak said here on Friday. The Congress' Uttar Pradesh social media chairperson said the BJP is infuriated as people have shifted their attention to its funding of thousands of crores through electoral bonds.

Highlights of Arvind Kejriwal's ED remand paper:

• The ED said in remand Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi is the kingpin and key conspirator of the Delhi Excise Scam
• Kejriwal was involved in the conspiracy of formulation of the Excise policy 2021-22 to favour certain persons and also involved in the demanding kickbacks from liquor businessmen in exchange of favours granting in the said policy
• He is involved in the use of proceeds of crime thus generated in the Goa election campaign of the AAP to which he is the Convenor and the ultimate decision maker
• The AAP leader was directly involved in the formulation of the Excise Policy 2021-22. 
• The ED said in remand this policy was being drafted considering the favours to be granted to the South Group and was formed in collusion with Sh Vijay Nair, Manish Sisodia and members-representatives of the South Group.
• The probe agency stated in remand Statement of Arvind then Secretary of Sh Manish Sisodia dated 07.12.2022 wherein he has revealed that, around mid of March 2021, Sh Manish Sisodia called him to the residence of Chief Minister  Arvind Kejriwal and handed over an around 30 pages document which was a draft GoM report.
• The ED said in remand Satyender Jain and Sh Manish Sisodia were also present along with Sh Arvind Kejriwal in his house. Sh Manish Sisodia then told him that this is the base document on which the final GoM report is to be made.
• The Central probe agency said in remand Statement of Sh Buchi Babu (CA of Ms K Kavitha) dated 23.02.2023, wherein he has revealed that Sh Arun Pillai was working with Sh Vijay Nair on the policy formulation and Sh Vijay Nair was offering provisions for favouring Ms K Kavitha. That, Sh Vijay Nair was working for Sh Arvind Kejriwal and Sh Manish Sisodia for the same.

"The arrest of Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is a dark day in the history of the democracy of the country. The recent arrests of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and BRS MLC Kavitha prove that the ruling BJP at the Center is acting with the sole intention of making the opposition non-existent. For this, the central government is using ED, CBI, IT and other central investigation agencies. The BRS party strongly condemns the actions of the BJP government which is turning out to be an axe on democracy," said K Chandrasekhar Rao, BRS chief and former CM of Telangana.

Madhya Pradesh Minister and BJP leader Prahlad Singh Patel said on the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal by ED the person who used to call himself and his party staunch honest, most of his Cabinet ministers are behind bars.

The people of the country saw how he (Kejriwal) had been running away from ED summons and finally after the court’s order, he was arrested, the BJP leader added.

BJP leader Satyabrata Panda on Kejriwal's arrest | "Equal treatment before the law isn't merely a suggestion but the cornerstone of any judicial system. Why we should take it that the politician will undermine the law and when the action is taken they will shout from the rooftop that injustice has been done... BJP has told time and again that this AAP is not a political party but a group of urban naxals. PM Modi has also talked about zero tolerance towards corruption and he rightly said 'Na Khaunga Na Khane Dunga'. In the capital city of the country the CM is engaged in such corrupt practices can't be tolerated..."

Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been deployed at DDU road near Rouse Avenue court ahead of Arvind Kejriwal's ED custody hearing. 

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's arrest | "This is a politics of revenge. BJP is afraid of the I.N.D.I.A bloc... This is an attack on democracy and our constitution... There is only one thought in the Prime Minister's mind, 'One Nation No Election'... The entire country is in OPD- One Person Dictatorship."

Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita has slammed the BJP government for action against the Delhi Chief Minister.

Taking to social media platform X, Sunita Kejriwal said, "PM Modi got three-time elected Chief Minister arrested out of arrogance of power. He is trying to crush everyone. This is a betrayal of the people of Delhi. Your Chief Minister has always stood by you. Whether inside or outside, his life is dedicated to the country. The public knows everything that he is Janardan. Jai Hind."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest is a serious matter... almost all Opposition parties have approached the Election Commission against Enforcement Directorate's (ED) action, said Abhishek Manu Singhvi, counsel representing Kejriwal in the liquor policy case.

Delhi's Rouse Avenue court has reserves its order on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's custody in the liquor policy scam case. The court's decision is expected to be announced soon.

On Arvind Kejriwal's remand hearing, Senior advocate Ramesh Gupta representing the CM said, "We've said that it is an illegal arrest and there was no evidence against him... arguments from our side are continuing..."

AAP leader and Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Kejriwal's arrest | "We have come to meet Arvind Kejriwal's family but police and administration are not allowing us to go inside. Democracy can't be murdered like this and we can't be stopped from raising our voices. The people of Delhi are with Arvind Kejriwal."

"How much weight should be given to an approver's statement can only be a consideration at the time of trial. It can't be argued in a remand application," says ED while opposing Kejriwal's lawyers' submissions raising questions over approvers' statements.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi further said, "It is the first and only time that a sitting chief minister has been arrested... Four senior leaders of his part are arrested... This means before even the first vote is cast, the results are there... Democracy is the basic structure of the constitution... You are creating a non-level playing field. This is not a rhetorical statement."

"Money can't keep changing hands indefinitely and then you arrest me... in your grounds of arrest, there is no reason to arrest me... you have to show how I am involved..."

Singhvi referred to Pankaj Bansal judgement of the Supreme Court. "The top court must take penal action when its words are not taken seriously... you can't arrest me without 'reason to believe"'.

"80 per cent of the people have not named Arvind Kejriwal in their statements," Singhvi mentioned.

"The reason of arrest of one of the witnesses is non-cooperation and he was arrested a day after he did not name Kejriwal," Singhvi said.

"Yesterday before Delhi High Court, they said we are calling Kejriwal in his personal capacity. Today a lot of material has been given referring to the party as a company etc. I am saying he had no role," Singhvi added. 

"There is no direct evidence except these statements saying I met Kejriwal etc... if people are arrested and pardoned then they will definitely name anyone... please do not look at the remand as a routine.. it requires application of significant judicial mind... there are larger issues of democracy involved. Please keep that in mind," Singhvi said.

Presenting his argument in the Delhi court, Kejriwal's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "Firstly, what is your lordships remit at the remand stage. It is not automatic. It has to satisfy the sections of PMLA. The one phrase in Section 19 (1) is "material in his possession" You can come to my house and arrest me unless this is satisfied. Then there is reason to believe and finally, "guilty of an offence"."

"The test for arrest is more stringent because the grounds for bail are more stringent. There has to be a causal link between material in my possession and reason to believe," he said.

"The first thing to be shown is necessity for arrest. The power of arrest is not equal to the need of arrest. Just because you have the power to arrest does not mean you will arrest. The fact that you have the power does not mean you will exercise it," he added.

"I will show the law that says the need to arrest needs to be demonstrated... what is the necessity to arrest this man in March 2024? The entire remand application is the copy paste of grounds of arrest... you say you need to further trace the money trail can't be a ground of the arrest. It can be grounds for a questionnaire..."

"What is the ground of arrest? The only ground is these three four names taken... there is a new pattern now. You have a witness, he does not name Kejriwal in statement one or statement two. You then arrest him and oppose his bail vehemently. He then turns approver. And one fine day he gives a brilliant statement...," Singhvi said.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar on Kejriwal's arrest | "... Arvind Kejriwal should understand as should the I.N.D.I.A bloc, that the law and consequences of violating the law don't stop just because you are a politician or a leader. Every Indian is subject to the same laws. If you are involved in corruption, nothing is preventing the law from coming to your doorstep and asking you all the relevant questions... This is nothing but a National political drama created by the I.N.D.I alliance... The consequence of trying to run away from an investigation is an arrest..."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was produced in the court after his arrest on Thursday in the Delhi liquor policy scam case, in his first reaction said that his life is dedicated to the nation whether he remains alive or dead. READ MORE

Kejriwal's counsel Abhishek Singhvi has said that the money trail presented by the ED cannot be the grounds for arrest of the Delhi CM.

Putting forth his argument in the court in defence of Arvind Kejriwal, his counsel Abhishek Singhvi said, "Power of arrest is not equal to need of arrest. There is no necessity of arresting this man (Arvind Kejriwal)."

The ED also alleged that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal used bribe money in the Goa Assembly elections.

During the hearing, the ED told the court that CM Arvind Kejriwal was also involved in making the Delhi liquor policy. The probe agency also alleged that Kejriwal had asked for a bribe from South Lobby. Notably, Manish Sisodia was also arrested in the same case. 

The police used water cannons to disperse the Aam Aadmi Party workers who were protesting against the ED arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Chandigarh. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped.

Congress MP Ranveer Singh Bittu said, "Kejriwal & party rose to power promising Swaraj & Jan Lokpal, but ironically they've turned out to be the biggest thugs. This corruption case in Delhi is just the tip of the iceberg. Punjabs' looted money by runaway Chadha is yet to be recovered."

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, on behalf of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), alleged that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was the 'key conspirator' in the Delhi excise policy case and hatched a conspiracy with other leaders. Calling Kejriwal a 'kingpin' in the case, the ED said that he planned the corruption and that AAP leader Manish Sisodia played a key role in the matter. The ASG further said the kickbacks through the excise policy were used in Goa Assembly elections.

The Enforcement Directorate has sought a 10-day remand of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case.

The Enforcement Directorate has sought 10-day remand of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case. The matter is currently being heard in the Rouse Avenue Court in the national court. 

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reached the residence of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, a day after the Delhi CM was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an excise policy case. "Mann will be meeting the family members," a party functionary said. Earlier in the day, Delhi cabinet minister Gopal Rai also visited Kejriwal's residence to meet the family. Initially, he claimed that he was not allowed to meet them but later he had a meeting with them.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has reached the Rouse Avenue Court in the national Capital. The hearing in the excise policy scam case will begin shortly.  

After withdrawing his plea from the Supreme Court, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will appear before the Rose Avenue court shortly. Earlier today, the Supreme Court had agreed to hear a plea of the Delhi Chief Minister in connection with the matter. 

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal and extended her support. The Bengal Chief Minister also strongly condemned the Delhi Chief Minister's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. "I vehemently condemn the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the sitting elected Chief Minister of Delhi elected by the people. I have personally reached out to Smt Sunita Kejriwal to extend my unwavering support and solidarity. It's outrageous that while elected opposition CMs are being deliberately targeted and arrested while individuals accused under CBI/ED investigations are allowed to continue their malpractices with impunity, especially after aligning with the BJP. This is a blatant assault on democracy," she wrote. 

"Today, our INDIA alliance will meet the EC to express our strong objection to the deliberate targeting and arrests of opposition leaders, particularly during the MCC period. To this end, I have designated @derekobrienmp and @MdNadimulHaque6  to represent @AITCofficial
 in this crucial meeting with the Election Commission," the Bengal CM added. 

Punjab ministers Harjot Bains and Balveer Singh have also been detained by Delhi Police amid the Aam Aadmi Party's protest over arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. The AAP supporters also raised slogans against the BJP-led Centre government. The police have erected barricades on the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg -- where the headquarters of both the parties are located -- and blocked it for traffic.

As Aam Aadmi Party workers are holding a massive protest, Section 144 has been imposed outside the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in the national capital. The AAP held a protest at the ITO in the national capital against CM Kejriwal's arrest by ED in the excise policy case.

Delhi Education Minister Atishi and Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj have been detained by the police today. Earlier, AAP leaders stated that it was a desperate move by the BJP to silence the opposition's voice ahead of the elections. "They did not have any questions for the Delhi CM. Because elections are around the corner, the BJP is scared, it is nervous. and a strong voice of the opposition, who would question the Prime Minister, just to shut that voice, the Chief Minister of Delhi has been arrested," AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

A special bench in the Supreme Court, comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh, and Bela Trivedi, is slated to convene today to hear Arvind Kejriwal's petition challenging the arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. Earlier today, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud assigned Kejriwal's plea for a hearing before a bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Friday said the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was a "blot" on democracy, and shows the ruling party's "remarkable degree of nervousness". The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said his party stands with Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party. "Aisi Taisi Democracy. For all the talk of 400+ seats, the ruling dispensation is displaying a remarkable degree of nervousness. Having a sitting opposition CM arrested by a pliable central agency within days of the general elections being announced is a blot on democracy," Abdullah said in a post on X.

Delhi Cabinet minister Atishi on Friday said the Aam Aadmi Party is worried about the security of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in ED custody. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case.  Addressing a press conference here, Atishi said this is for the first time in India's democratic history that a national party's chief has been arrested before the Lok Sabha polls. "ED has not been able to produce a single evidence. This shows how fearful the BJP is of Arvind Kejriwal. They know that only one leader can challenge them which is is why they are making every attempt to trample Arvind Kejriwal and AAP," the minister added.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi is scheduled to bring up Arvind Kejriwal's petition before the Chief Justice of India's bench in the Supreme Court at 10:30 am today. The petition, filed late last night, seeks urgent judicial intervention in the matter

NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar slammed the central government over the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the ED. "It is not right to arrest the Chief Minister of any state. Modi government is strangulating the democracy. We will stand stand firmly with Kejriwal. The Delhi CM has been arrested keeping the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in mind," Pawar added. 

Delhi Police has issued a traffic advisory amid Aam Aadmi Party's call for the nationwide protests today against the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. "In view of the proposed protest by the Political party at DDU Marg Delhi,  Traffic will remain heavy at IP Marg, Vikas Marg, Minto Road and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. DDU marg will remain closed for traffic movement. Kindly avoid these roads and plan your journey accordingly," the Delhi traffic police added. 

The Aam Aadmi Party will stage protests against the arrest of the convenor chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case. In view of the traffic jams at the ITO, where the AAP has its headquarters based, the ITO Metro station will remain closed from 8 am to 6 pm on Friday (March 22), according to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

Following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case, Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee accused Kejriwal and the Anna Hazare group of making 'irresponsible, baseless allegations against then Delhi Chief Minister and Congress leader Sheila Dikshit. She added that despite their claims of having 'trunk loads' of evidence against Dikshit, no such evidence has been presented to the public. 

After the ED arrested AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the Excise policy case, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said that a high voltage drama was going on outside the residence of Arvind Kejriwal. He further added, " If I have to describe it in one sentence then I would say that celebration of corruption is going on outside Kejriwal's residence." He stated that there is no court left in this country which the AAP did not approach to spread their lies. Still, they did not get any relief from anywhere. "Atishi says Arvind Kejriwal is not a person, he is an idea. I should say he is a bad idea," he added.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to meet Arvind Kejriwal's family to offer legal assistance, news agency ANI reported citing sources. Meanwhile, Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely said that the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shows that the Bharatiya Janata Party is afraid of the elections and is resorting to such kind of tactics of arresting opposition leaders and freezing bank accounts of the grand old party.

Delhi Police has closed the road leading from ITO to the office of the Aam Aadmi Party by putting up barricades. In view of AAP's demonstration, barricades were installed on all the routes leading to the party office. The AAP has called for a nationwide protest today and also urged I.N.D.I.A bloc to join. 

The AAP said Kejriwal will continue as the Chief Minister of Delhi and that if need be, he will run the government from jail. The BJP, however, demanded that Kejriwal step down as chief minister on moral grounds. The AAP chief was arrested more than two hours after the ED team arrived at his residence on Thursday night, March 21. 

The Supreme Court is likely to hear Aam Aadmi Party's urgent plea today regarding the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate. Kejriwal moved to the top court following his arrest on Thursday night. 

AAP leaders in Punjab and Haryana slammed the BJP government for the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging the "dictatorial regime was making a mockery of the constitutional norms. " Congress leaders from the two states also took on the Centre over Kejriwal's arrest. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in a post on on X, said, "BJP ki rajnitik team ED Kejriwal ki soch ko qaid nahi kar sakti kyunki AAP hee BJP ko rok sakti hai. Soch ko kabhi bhi dabaya nahi ja sakta.(BJP's political team ED, cannot imprison Kejriwal's thinking..because only AAP can stop the BJP. Thinking can never be suppressed," he added. 

The AAP's Delhi unit convenor Gopal Rai gave a call for a nationwide protest against the BJP following Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. Rai said Kejriwal's arrest is the "murder of democracy" and an "announcement of dictatorship". "I appeal to the countrymen to protest outside BJP offices across the country against this dictatorship. We will gather at the AAP office at 10 am on Friday and then protest outside the BJP headquarters," Rai, a minister in the Delhi government, said.