A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Delhi High Court against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, demanding his removal from office.
The filing of the petition coincides with the recent arrest of Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case related to Delhi’s liquor policy. The arrest, made on Thursday, March 21, 2024, comes at a time when the central investigation agency argued in the Rouse Avenue Court that Kejriwal was the main conspirator in the case and sought his custody for 10 days.
Prosecution’s Argument
The ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, stated in court that Kejriwal had solicited Rs. 100 crores from some accused individuals associated with the ‘South Group’ for contesting elections in Punjab. Raju further highlighted that financial transactions revealed a bribe of Rs. 45 crores, used in the Goa elections, which had been routed through four hawala channels.
Defense’s Argument
Kejriwal’s lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, argued that it is unprecedented in the history of India for a sitting Chief Minister to be arrested. He contended that further investigation into the financial transactions could not be grounds for arrest.
