Delhi Excise Policy Case: SC Questions ED On Timing Of Kejriwal's Arrest, Seeks Response

The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the timing of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest ahead of the 2024 general elections and asked the central agency to respond.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta asked Additional Solicitor General SV Raju to reply to the question of the timing on Friday when the matter will be taken up for hearing.

"Liberty is very exceedingly important, you can't deny that. The last question is with regard to the timing of the arrest, which they (Kejriwal's counsel) have pointed out, the timing of the arrest, soon before the general elections. The last question is regarding the timing of the arrest," asked Justice Khanna while. asking Raju to respond to certain questions.

The apex court also asked ASG Raju why there was a huge gap between the initiation of the proceedings (registration of case) and the arrest of Kejriwal.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued for about two hours for Kejriwal.

Kejriwal had approached the top court challenging his arrest by ED and his subsequent remand in the excise policy case. The apex court had earlier asked the central agency to file its response to Kejriwal's plea.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kejriwal had challenged a Delhi High Court judgement that dismissed his plea against arrest by the ED and his subsequent remand in the excise policy case.

Kejriwal, while filing an appeal in the apex court had contended that his arrest after the announcement of the General Elections. was "motivated by extraneous considerations".

On April 9, the High Court dismissed his plea for release from jail and rejected his argument of political vendetta amid the looming Lok Sabha elections.

The High Court had said that Kejriwal's absence from nine ED summons over six months undermined any claims of special privilege as Chief Minister, suggesting his arrest was an inevitable consequence of his non-cooperation.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

(ANI)