A special bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh, and Bela M Trivedi, is set to hear Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s petition against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. Kejriwal was arrested on Thursday night in connection with a money-laundering probe related to the Delhi liquor policy scam case.
On Friday morning, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi’s minister Gopal Rai claimed that Kejriwal’s family had been placed under “house arrest.” Rai expressed frustration as authorities prevented him from visiting the family shortly after the chief minister’s arrest.
Read: Arvind Kejriwal Arrested By ED in Liquor Probe, to Appear in Court Tomorrow
“I have come here to meet his family, but they have been put under house arrest. Under which law am I being stopped from meeting his family?” Rai questioned reporters.
Another AAP leader, Saurabh Bharadwaj, echoed Rai’s sentiments, alleging that the central government was preventing anyone from meeting Kejriwal’s family.
“In the country’s history, it is the first time that, after the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections, the national convenor of a national party has been arrested. Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest is the BJP’s political conspiracy,” claimed AAP leader Atishi, expressing concern for Kejriwal’s security, given his Z-plus cover.
In response, the BJP criticized Kejriwal and AAP for playing the victim card, emphasizing that the judiciary’s actions were based on evidence. BJP leader Shehzad Poonwalla highlighted the rejection of bail for AAP members Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, citing a money trail of Rs. 338 crore in the case.
The AAP reiterated that Kejriwal would not resign as Delhi’s chief minister and would continue to govern from jail. Union Minister Anurag Thakur condemned this stance, labeling it an insult to the people of Delhi, law, and democracy. Thakur also criticized the AAP for evading the Enforcement Directorate’s summons in the investigation.
The ongoing saga underscores the escalating tensions between political parties, raising questions about accountability and transparency in governance.