The Supreme Court has taken cognizance of a plea by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest in a money-laundering case associated with the erstwhile Delhi excise policy. Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta’s bench has directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to respond to Kejriwal’s plea, which contests the Delhi High Court’s affirmation of his arrest in the case.
The bench has set a deadline of April 24 for the ED to submit its reply, scheduling the next hearing for the week beginning April 29.
The Delhi High Court had upheld Kejriwal’s arrest in the money-laundering case on April 9, emphasizing the ED’s limited recourse due to his repeated non-compliance with summonses and refusal to participate in the investigation. The court dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader’s petition challenging his arrest and subsequent custody by the ED.
The case revolves around alleged irregularities and money laundering concerning the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was subsequently annulled.
Arvind Kejriwal was apprehended by the ED on March 21, following the high court’s rejection of his plea for protection against coercive measures by the federal anti-money laundering agency. Presently, Kejriwal is incarcerated in Tihar Jail as the legal proceedings unfold.