The Delhi High Court is set to address Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s appeal against his apprehension by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding the alleged irregularities in Delhi excise policy 2021-22. Scheduled to be heard by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, the petition argues that Kejriwal’s arrest and custody are unlawful. The plea was scheduled for a hearing three days subsequent to the court dismissing the request by Kejriwal’s lawyer for an urgent hearing on Sunday. In his plea filed on Saturday, Kejriwal contended that his arrest infringed upon his fundamental rights as no substantial case has been established against him. The petition also raises concerns about the exercise of arbitrary powers by a central agency during the 2024 General Election within a federal system.
Kejriwal’s lawyer, Abhishek Singhvi, challenged the agency’s detention request, asserting that there was no direct evidence linking the chief minister to any misconduct. Singhvi argued against Kejriwal’s arrest, citing statements from 2021-22 and emphasizing the absence of criminal conspiracy involving the CM. In contrast, the probing agency labeled Kejriwal as the “kingpin” in the alleged money laundering associated with the policy, alleging that he manipulated regulations to benefit specific liquor establishments in return for kickbacks used to finance his party’s election campaigns. The ED claimed that Kejriwal holds vicarious liability for the party’s offenses, alleging that AAP utilised approximately ₹45 crore from alleged kickbacks in its election campaign in Goa in 2022. The CM was taken into custody on Thursday night following interrogation at his residence by the ED, as part of the investigation into purported violations in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22, after his plea for interim protection from arrest was denied by the high court.
