Dehi liquor policy case: The Delhi High Court will pronounce its verdict on Tuesday (April 9) on a plea moved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest and Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand in connection with the liquor scam. On April 3, a single-judge bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma reserved the verdict on the CM’s plea challenging his arrest by the ED in the excise policy case.
As per the cause list uploaded on the high court’s website, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma will pronounce the order at 2:30 pm on Tuesday.
Significantly, the now-jailed Chief Minister was arrested on the night of March 21 and is currently in Tihar jail after Delhi court sent him to judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged liquor scam. Earlier on April 1, the Rouse Avenue Court sent Kejriwal to judicial custody till April 15.
The ED alleged that Kejriwal is answering every question by saying, 'I don't know'. The probe agency had then sought 15-day judicial custody of Kejriwal, saying he was "totally uncooperative.".
'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se' theme launched
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday launched the 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se' theme ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The announcement comes a day after the party held a daylong fasting protest to express solidarity with jailed AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
While addressing a press conference on Monday, AAP MP Sandeep Pathak said, "As you all saw, Kejriwal ji was put in jail to keep him away from the elections. Kejriwal Ji spent his entire life struggling for the people. He considered all the people of Delhi as his family and made arrangements for the best education, health, electricity, and water for all."
We will go to every house in Delhi with our 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se' campaign, he added.
"This campaign has started today itself. Our workers are campaigning with the slogan from today on the 4 seats in Delhi where AAP is contesting," the AAP MP said.
Kejriwal on his arrest
The AAP national convener has questioned the "timing" of his arrest by the agency and said it was in contravention of the basic structure of the Constitution, including democracy, free and fair elections and level playing field.
The ED has opposed the plea and contended that Kejriwal cannot claim "immunity" from arrest on the ground of upcoming elections as law is applied equally to him and an "aam aadmi".
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 after the high court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the federal anti-money laundering agency.
He was sent to judicial custody in the case on April 1 after he was produced in the trial court on expiry of ED custody.
The matter pertains to the alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 that was later scrapped.
