The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on March 21, hours after the Delhi High Court denied him protection from coercive action. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) subsequently criticized the ED, alleging that the agency failed to respond to questions raised by Kejriwal's lawyers regarding the legality and evidence supporting his arrest.
AAP spokesperson Atishi claimed that the ED, despite investigating the case for two years and conducting numerous raids, had no answers to the questions posed by Kejriwal's lawyers. She expressed concern that the ED would now resort to fabricating evidence and pressuring witnesses to testify against Kejriwal.
The Delhi High Court, while refusing to interfere with Kejriwal's arrest, scheduled a final hearing for April 3. The court acknowledged the potential impact of the arrest on the democratic process.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defended the ED's actions, asserting that the agency possessed substantial evidence against Kejriwal. BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa dismissed AAP's claims of innocence, stating that the evidence was so compelling that no court was willing to intervene.
The ED's investigation centers on alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was later revoked. The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the ED, requesting a response to Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest and remand by April 2.