Arvind Kejriwal issues first order for Enforcement Directorate lock-up

Arvind Kejriwal has been remanded to ED for one week

New Delhi:

Arvind Kejriwal today issued his first order from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody house amid debate on whether he can continue as Delhi chief minister from jail, sources said.

Sources said the order was related to water supply in the national capital and was issued by the Chief Minister through a note to Delhi Minister Atish, who is in charge of the matter.

Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED on Thursday night in connection with a money laundering case related to Delhi’s now-defunct liquor policy, has been remanded to the central agency’s custody for a week. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has denied the charges against him and accused the BJP-led central government of using investigative agencies to achieve political goals.

The AAP made it clear that Mr Kejriwal will continue to serve as Chief Minister despite his arrest. While there’s no law prohibiting him, prison rules would make it very difficult.

A former police officer at Delhi’s Tihar Jail said prisoners were allowed to have only two meetings a week.

Sunil Gupta told New Delhi TV: “Running a government from prison is not simple. The prison manual states that you can only meet your family, friends or colleagues twice a week. So it is not easy for him to govern under these restrictions. easy.” .

However, there is a way out. If Kejriwal can get the authorities to place him under house arrest, he can remain as chief minister. However, this requires the approval of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

“The chief executive has the power to declare any building a jail,” Mr Gupta said, similar to how court buildings were designated as temporary jails in the past. Such measures could help Mr Kejriwal continue to run the government from prison.

But given the history of stand-offs between nominees at the Center and the AAP government, it seems unlikely that the Lieutenant Governor’s office will issue such an order.

It is understood that the Union Home Ministry is studying the consequences of Kejriwal not resigning. Legal experts said the Center may have to suspend or remove him as he is a civil servant. This is also the procedure followed by arrested government officials. Sources said they were immediately suspended from service.

Mr Kejriwal is the fourth high-profile arrest in the liquor policy case after senior AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh and Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha.