AAP workers protest against Arvind Kejriwal arrest in liquor policy case, several detained

New Delhi:

Several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs were detained today over their protest against the arrest of national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the GST policy case.

AAP workers staged a protest outside Mr Kejriwal’s residence in the national capital soon after an Education Ministry team arrived in Delhi to arrest Mr Kejriwal in a money laundering case related to Delhi’s excise policy.

Restrictions were imposed near Mr. Kejriwal’s residence under Section 144 of the CrPC.

#watch | Police detained AAP workers protesting outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

A team of Enforcement Directorate is questioning Arvind Kejriwal at his residence. pic.twitter.com/t2LbWGNAcX

— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2024

Hours after the Delhi High Court refused relief in the case, the emergency room team, escorted by Delhi police, reached Kejriwal’s official residence on Flagstaff Road.

Mr Kejriwal became the first sitting chief minister to be arrested in the history of independent India, and his party said he would continue in the role.

His arrest comes just weeks before the Lok Sabha elections.

Read | Explained: Why the Enforcement Directorate arrested Arvind Kejriwal

Following the latest summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate, the ninth summons issued by the investigating agency, Kejriwal moved the High Court asking him to appear in court today.

The case relates to alleged corruption and money laundering by the Delhi government in formulating and implementing the GST policy for 2021-22, which was later repealed.

Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested in connection with the case in February last year, and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was detained in October.

BRS leader K Kavitha was also arrested last week in the Delhi liquor policy case.

In a news report issued after Ms Kavitha’s arrest on Sunday, the ED said Mr Kejriwal was a co-conspirator in the alleged liquor policy scam.

“ED investigation has revealed that Ms K Kavitha and others conspired with senior AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, to obtain benefits in the formulation and implementation of Delhi’s excise policy. In exchange for these benefits, she was involved in the payment of 10 Crores. To the AAP leader,” news reports said.

“Through corrupt and conspiratorial practices in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, wholesalers have brought in a steady stream of illegal funds in the form of kickbacks to the AAP. Furthermore, Smt K Kavitha and his associates aimed at recovering the advance payment Proceeds of crime to AAP and further deriving profits/proceeds of crime from the entire conspiracy,” it added.