Arvind Kejriwal Arrest LIVE Updates: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi high court verdict upholding his arrest related to a money laundering case connected to a alleged excise scam. Vivek Jain, Kejriwal’s legal representative, told news agency PTI that they have challenged the Delhi HC order in the apex court. The Delhi High Court’s decision to sustain Kejriwal’s arrest dealt a significant setback to the Chief Minister just before the Lok Sabha elections.
The court remarked that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was left with ‘little option’ but to proceed with the arrest due to Kejriwal’s consistent absence from summons and his refusal to participate in the probe.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday said that Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh were scheduled to visit Kejriwal at Tihar Jail, which has now been deferred. The jail authorities have cited security concerns as the reason for the postponement, news agency IANS reported.
“Yesterday, the time for Bhagwant Mann and Sanjay Singh to meet Kejriwal was fixed. Now, Tihar Jail will inform about the new time,” said AAP. “The administration had received a letter for a meeting with CM Kejriwal,” IANS quoted jail sources as saying.
“The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Tihar will respond today. The reply will address security measures and propose alternative dates for the meeting. Sanjay Singh and CM Bhagwant Mann may then visit CM Kejriwal on the suggested dates, should they choose to,” a source from the prison administration stated.
Kejriwal was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 over allegations related to the excise scam. Since his arrest, Kejriwal has been under the ED’s authority, followed by his transfer to Tihar Jail.
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11.50 AM: After a Delhi court on Wednesday said no to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s request to have more meetings with his lawyers, bumping it up from two times a week to five. Kejriwal argued that because he’s dealing with several police cases in different states, he needs more legal consultations. However, the court rejected his plea. The lawyers representing the authorities argued against it, saying that the Jail Manual only allows one legal meeting a week, maybe two in special cases. Kejriwal is already having two meetings, so asking for more goes against the rules.
11.30 AM: Supreme Court refuses early hearing in Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s petition challenging Delhi High Court’s order against his arrest in Delhi Liquor Policy Case. CJI DY Chandrachud says, “I will look into e-mail”