Arrest of Arvind Kejriwal explained

Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, India, was arrested on 21 March 2024 around 09:00 pm IST after not responding to nine summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi liquor scam, becoming the first sitting chief minister in Indian history to be arrested.^{[1] [2] [3]} He was given interim bail by the Supreme Court of India from 10 May 2024 to 1 June 2024 to campaign for 2024 Indian general election.^{[4] [5]} Kejriwal surrendered at the Tihar Jail on 2 June 2024 after the expiration of this bail. A Delhi trial court granted bail to Kejriwal on 20 June, which was stayed by the Delhi High Court on 21 May before he could be released.^[6] Kejriwal was questioned for three days and arrested on 26 June 2024 by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from Tihar Jail and subsequently was sent to judicial custody till 12 July.^{[7] [8]} The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam on 12 July 2024. However, he remains in Tihar Jail as he was also arrested by CBI in corruption case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.^{[9] [10]}

Background

In June 2022, a batch of complaints alleging a “multi-crore scam” in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, one of which was filed with the Delhi Police by former Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar Chaudhary.^[11] Kejriwal and his allies had been accused by political rivals, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of selling liquor licences and receiving kickbacks from private vendors. The ED had alleged that it had evidence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) receiving millions of dollars from a liquor group.^[12] Several high-ranking members of the AAP had previously been arrested in connection with the scam, including Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia in March 2023.^[13]

Arrest

Kejriwal received nine summons from the ED for the investigation of the scam.^[14] Kejriwal skipped all of the Ed summons and was arrested on 21 March 2024 following a raid on his home by the Enforcement Directorate. As he was being taken away, supporters and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers were protesting outside his residence.^{[15] [16]} AAP leaders alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party collected protection money of worth in the form of Electoral Bonds from the alleged liquor Scam kingpin Sarath Chandra Reddy's Aurobindo Pharma Limited per a report who later became an approver.^[17] Kejriwal was remanded until 28 March 2024, and remained in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).^[18] The Delhi High Court dismissed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's petition against his arrest.^{[19] [20] [21] [22] [23]}

On 10 May, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail on the case till 1 June 2024 in view of campaigning for 2024 Indian general election.^{[24] [25]} Kejriwal surrendered at the Tihar Jail on 2 June 2024 after the expiration of this bail.^[26] A Delhi trial court granted bail to Kejriwal on 20 June but the bail was stayed by the Delhi High Court on 21 June before could be released. Kejriwal was questioned for 3 days and arrested on 26 June 2024 by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from Tihar Jail and subsequently was sent to judicial custody till 12 July. The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam on 12 July 2024, however, he remains in Tihar Jail as he was also arrested by CBI in corruption case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.

Reaction

Domestic

The arrest caused numerous protests in Delhi on 26 March 2024, with AAP supporters marching to the Prime Minister's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg while BJP supporters demanding Kejriwal's resignation marched to the Secretariat Building, New Delhi.^[18]

Delhi Cabinet Minister Raaj Kumar Anand resigned as minister of social welfare and also tendered his resignation from the AAP. He said that did not want his name to be associated with “corruption” after Delhi High Court's rejection of Kejriwal's bail.^[27]

Prominent opposition leaders have voiced strong opposition to Kejriwal's arrest, framing it as part of a broader authoritarian trend under the current government. Rahul Gandhi, for instance, described the central government's actions as those of a "scared dictator" aiming to create a "dead democracy".^{[28] [29]}

International

• :
  • UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, "We very much hope that in India, as in any country that is having elections, that everyone's rights are protected, including political and civil rights, and everyone is able to vote in an atmosphere that is free and fair."^[30]
• :
  • United States Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said, "We continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. We are also aware of the Congress party's allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections." A spokesperson for the United States Department of State said that the US was closely following reports of Kejriwal's arrest and that they "encourage a fair, transparent, and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal".^[31]
    • In response, Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India's legal processes were "based on an independent judiciary" and that they were "committed to objective and timely outcomes."^[32]
• :
  • A spokesperson for the German Federal Foreign Office said Germany "takes note" of Kejriwal's arrest and expected that the "standards relating to independence of judiciary and basic democratic principles" will also apply to this case.
    • In response, the MEA said that the remarks were seen as "interfering in our judicial process" and "undermining the independence of our judiciary".
• Amnesty International, an international human rights group said that the arrest of Kejriwal and the "freezing of Indian National Congress’ bank accounts", a few weeks before India's general elections showed "the authorities’ blatant failure to uphold the country’s international human rights obligations".^{[33] [34]}

See also

• Delhi liquor scam
• List of scandals in India

Notes and References

1. News: 21 March 2024 . Arvind Kejriwal arrested by Enforcement Directorate in Delhi Excise policy case . https://web.archive.org/web/20240321170521/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/arvind-kejriwal-arrested-by-enforcement-directorate-in-delhi-excise-policy-case/article67976688.ece . 21 March 2024 . 21 March 2024 . The Hindu . en-IN . PTI.
2. Web site: Sehran . Sohil . 21 March 2024 . Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal arrested by ED in excise policy case . 21 March 2024 . Moneycontrol . en.
3. Web site: 21 March 2024 . Arvind Kejriwal Arrest Highlights: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal sent to ED custody till March 28 in liquor policy case . 21 March 2024 . The Times of India . en.
4. Web site: Arvind Kejriwal Interim Bail Hearing LIVE Updates: Arvind Kejriwal Gets Interim Bail Till June 1 . 2024-05-10 . NDTV.com.
5. Web site: 2024-05-10 . SC grants interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal till June 1 in excise policy case . 2024-05-10 . The Indian Express . en.
6. Web site: Big Setback For Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi High Court Pauses Bail Order . 2024-06-21 . NDTV.com.
7. Web site: 2024-06-26 . Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal arrested by CBI from Tihar jail - CNBC TV18 . 2024-06-30 . CNBCTV18 . en.
8. News: 2024-06-29 . Excise policy case: Arvind Kejriwal sent to 14-day judicial custody of CBI . 2024-06-30 . The Times of India . 0971-8257.
9. News: SC grants interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal, refers plea challenging ED arrest to larger Bench . The Hindu . 0971-751X . 12 July 2024 . 12 July 2024.
10. News: Arvind Kejriwal Supreme Court Verdict Live Updates: SC grants interim bail, but Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to remain in Tihar jail . The Times of India . 12 July 2024 . 12 July 2024.
11. Web site: Congress's Kejriwal dilemma deepens as it balances ties with AAP – friends in Delhi, foes in Punjab . 23 March 2024 .
12. News: Shih . Gerry . 21 March 2024 . India arrests Delhi chief minister as crackdown on opposition spreads . subscription . 23 March 2024 . Washington Post . en-US . 0190-8286.
13. News: PTI . 9 March 2023 . Delhi excise policy case ED arrests Manish Sisodia on money laundering charges . 9 April 2024 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
14. News: Kakkar . Shruti . 20 March 2024 . "Why don't you appear on receiving ED summons": Delhi HC asks Arvind Kejriwal . 24 March 2024 . Hindustan Times.
15. Web site: Mogul . Rhea . 21 March 2024 . Delhi chief arrested as opposition party alleges 'huge conspiracy' ahead of Indian election . 23 March 2024 . CNN . en.
16. Web site: Delhi chief minister Kejriwal arrested in liquor graft case . .
17. Web site: AAP asks BJP why did it take ₹60-crore bribe from 'Delhi liquor scam kingpin' . 24 March 2024 .
18. News: Mahajan . Satvika . Tewari . Samridhi . High drama in Delhi as AAP, BJP hold protests . 29 March 2024 . The Hindu . 26 March 2024.
19. Web site: Jaiswal . Arushi . 1 April 2024 . CM Arvind Kejriwal will not resign, to run government from jail: AAP . 1 April 2024 . . en.
20. News: 28 March 2024 . Can Arvind Kejriwal run govt from jail? Experts have different opinions . 1 April 2024 . The Times of India . 0971-8257.
21. Web site: Jain . Aishvarya . 9 April 2024 . "Judges Not Bound By Politics": High Court Dismisses Arvind Kejriwal's Petition . 9 April 2024 . NDTV.com.
22. Web site: Anand . Akriti . 'Arvind Kejriwal's arrest in liquor case valid': Delhi HC rejects CM's plea . mint . 9 April 2024 . 11 April 2024.
23. Web site: Ojha . Srishti . Arvind Kejriwal's plea against arrest dismissed, court says he 'conspired' . India Today . 9 April 2024 . 11 April 2024.
24. News: 2024-05-10 . Arvind Kejriwal gets interim bail till June 1 for election campaigning . 2024-05-10 . The Times of India . 0971-8257.
25. News: The Hindu . Arvind Kejriwal bail Grant of interim bail is based on individual facts of each case, Supreme Court notes . 10 May 2024 . 10 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240510185113/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/grant-of-interim-bail-is-based-on-the-individual-facts-of-each-case-sc-notes/article68161716.ece . 10 May 2024 . en-IN.
26. Web site: 2 June 2024 . Arvind Kejriwal surrenders at Tihar jail after interim bail ends, says don't know when will I return .
27. News: 10 April 2024 . Delhi Minister Raaj Kumar Anand turns on Kejriwal as he quits AAP . 11 April 2024 . The Hindu . PTI.
28. Web site: 2024-03-23 . Arvind Kejriwal Arrest Highlights: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal sent to ED custody till March 28 in liquor policy case . 2024-04-15 . The Times of India . en.
29. Web site: Paranjape . Makarand R. . 2024-04-15 . With Kejriwal in jail, Aam Aadmi Party's future is uncertain . 2024-04-15 . gulfnews.com . en.
30. Web site: Abbas . Ajmal . 29 March 2024 . UN reacts to Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, hopes 'everyone's rights are protected' . India Today.
31. Web site: 26 March 2024 . US encourages 'fair, transparent' process for arrested Indian opposition figure . 29 March 2024 . Reuters.
32. Web site: 27 March 2024 . India rejects remarks by US, Germany on opposition leader Kejriwal's arrest . 29 March 2024 . Al Jazeera . en.
33. Web site: Mogul . Rhea . 28 March 2024 . India summons US State Department official over call for fair legal treatment of arrested opposition leader . 29 March 2024 . CNN . en.
34. Web site: 22 March 2024 . India: Crackdown on opposition reaches a crisis point ahead of national elections . 29 March 2024 . Amnesty International . en.