Arvind Kejriwal arrest: Delhi high court verdict today | What Delhi CM, ED said so far
The Delhi high court on Tuesday, April 9, will give the verdict on the plea filed by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.
While Arvind Kejriwal maintains that the case against him is a “political conspiracy”, the probe agency remains firm in its stance to arrest the Aam Aadmi Party boss.
The last hearing by the Delhi high court regarding this petition took place on April 3, where Arvind Kejriwal questioned the timing of his arrest, referencing the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Arvind Kejriwal said his arrest was against the basic structure of the Constitution, while the ED argued before the court that the law is applied equally to him and any other common man of the country, dubbing him the kingpin of the Delhi excise policy case.
While the ED continues to stress that it has established a money trail to the chief minister in the case, Arvind Kejriwal maintains that there is no real evidence regarding his involvement in the alleged scam.
Now, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma will give the verdict regarding Kejriwal’s petition at 2:30pm on Tuesday, April 9.
Arvind Kejriwal case verdict today: Top points
Arvind Kejriwal filed a petition in the Delhi high court against his arrest in the money laundering case linked with the Delhi excise policy. Apart from this, Kejriwal also challenged his subsequent remand in the ED’s custody.
The first hearing on the CM’s petition took place on March 27, when Justice Sharma listed the matter for final disposal on April 3. After hearing the arguments of both the rides for hours last week, the high court reserved the verdict.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Arvind Kejriwal, argued that his arrest was a ploy by the Centre to disable him from any active role in politics, and was against the basic structure of the Constitution.
Additional solicitor general SV Raju, representing the Enforcement Directorate, argued that “criminals, undertrials have no business to say that they will commit the crime and get immunity on the grounds that elections are coming”.
Further, the ED said in court on April 3, “Aam Aadmi has to go behind bars if he has committed a crime but because you are a chief minister you can’t be arrested? You will loot the country but no one can touch you because the elections are coming? Do you say your arrest will infringe on basic structure? what type of basic structure is this?”
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directed on March 21, and was sent to judicial custody till April 15 in the last hearing. He is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.