In a significant development, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought an urgent hearing at the Delhi High Court following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged excise policy scam. However, sources close to the judiciary indicate that an immediate hearing is unlikely, especially before March 27, due to the Holi holiday closure of the courts.
Kejriwal’s legal team approached the High Court on Saturday, requesting a swift review of the arrest, which they deem illegal. There’s speculation that they might even seek a hearing on Sunday if permissible. This legal move comes after a lower court ordered Kejriwal to ED custody until March 28 for “extensive and ongoing interrogation.”
The arrest by ED on Thursday night came hours after the High Court refused to protect Kejriwal from punitive action. The Chief Minister had knocked on the doors of the High Court seeking to quash all proceedings against him, including the summons issued by ED.
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This case stems from alleged corruption and money laundering activities during the drafting and implementation of Delhi’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped. The policy has also ensnared other top leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, who are currently in judicial custody. The charge sheet filed by ED has mentioned Kejriwal’s name multiple times, raising serious questions about his involvement.
