The ED team reached Kejriwal’s house at 7 pm on Thursday evening. The team had a search warrant. The investigating agency searched the CM house for two hours. Then Kejriwal was interrogated for about 2 hours. After this, ED arrested Arvind Kejriwal at 9 pm.
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has arrested CM Arvind Kejriwal on March 21 (Thursday) in the Delhi Liquor Policy case. Today itself Delhi High Court had refused to give protection to Kejriwal regarding arrest. After which the ED team reached Kejriwal’s house at 7 pm on Thursday evening. The team had a search warrant. The investigating agency searched the CM house for two hours. Then Kejriwal was interrogated for about 2 hours. After this, ED arrested Arvind Kejriwal at 9 pm. Police have also taken into custody many supporters of Kejriwal who were shouting slogans. At the same time, Aam Aadmi Party leader and minister Atishi said that Arvind Kejriwal will remain the CM even after being arrested.
According to sources, ED officials had seized the mobile phones and other gadgets of Arvind Kejriwal and his family members. Heavy police force was deployed outside the CM House. Section 144 was also imposed outside Kejriwal’s house. According to sources, ED has described Arvind Kejriwal as the mastermind in the liquor policy case.
ED has so far sent 9 summons to Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi’s liquor policy case, but he has not appeared before ED even once. Kejriwal had challenged the 9th summons in the Delhi High Court and sought protection from arrest. Which was rejected. After which ED has reached CM’s house.
Kejriwal had told the court that he was ready to appear before the Enforcement Directorate, but he should be assured that the investigating agency would not arrest him. In this case, Delhi High Court has also asked ED to reply and file a new interim petition. The next hearing of this case will be on 22 April.
When were summons issued to Kejriwal?
In the liquor policy case, ED had sent the ninth summons to Arvind Kejriwal on March 17 this year. Before that, eighth summons were issued to Delhi CM on 27 February, seventh summons on 26 February, sixth summons on 22 February, fifth summons on 2 February, fourth summons on 17 January and third summons on 3 January. Whereas in 2023, the second summons was issued on 21 December and the first summons was issued on 2 November.
Hearing will be held in the Supreme Court in the morning
Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal’s legal team has reached the Supreme Court against the action of ED. The team filed the application through e-filing and demanded urgent listing for immediate hearing of the case. However, the Supreme Court refused to hear the case immediately. The court will hear Kejriwal’s application on Friday morning. Congress leader and well-known lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi is representing Kejriwal in the court. Kejriwal’s legal team is contacting the Supreme Court Registry. The legal team has demanded to give information about the case to the Chief Justice.
