Delhi Excise Policy Case: SC To Hear Arvind Kejriwal's Plea Against Arrest By ED On April 15

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's plea against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on April 15. Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta will preside over the hearing.

AAP leader Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court dismissed his plea against the ED's arrest and detention. Delhi CM argues that his arrest was maliciously conducted during the general election period and it was driven by ulterior motives.

The petition, while seeking the release of the Delhi Chief Minister from jail, said the ED has "allowed its process to be used and misused by vested interests" as an instrument of oppression to not only "invade the liberty of the political opponents" in the midst of general election, 2024 of such vested interests but also "to tarnish their reputation and self-esteem."

Kejriwal's arrest also constitutes an "unprecedented assault on the tenets of democracy" based on "free and fair elections" and "federalism," both of which form significant constituents of the basic structure of the Constitution, the appeal further stated.

"The petitioner's arrest, therefore, bears serious, irreversible ramifications for the future of electoral democracy in India, for if the petitioner is not released forthwith to participate in the upcoming elections, it will establish a precedence in law for ruling parties to arrest heads of political opposition on flimsy and vexatious charges before elections, thereby eroding the core principles of our Constitution," the petition stated.

Kejriwal stated while filing the appeal against the High Court ruling that the Enforcement Directorate lacks sufficient evidence to prove Delhi CM guilty under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Sanjay Singh Addresses Press Conference 

Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Saturday claimed that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was not being allowed in-person meetings with his family in Tihar jail. Addressing a press conference, Singh said, "There is an attempt to break the morale of CM Kejriwal.”

AAP नेता और सांसद संजय सिंह ने कहा-

▶️ 'भारत सरकार और प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी के इशारे पर जेल में CM अरविंद केजरीवाल को प्रताड़ित किया जा रहा है..'

▶️ 'CM की पत्नी सुनीता केजरीवाल को जेल में उनसे फेस टू फेस मिलने नहीं दिया जा रहा, जेल का नियम 602 और 605 यह कहता है कि किसी की… pic.twitter.com/979uLVDF2Z — Zee News (@ZeeNews) April 13, 2024

“His family has not been allowed in-person meetings with him. They are only allowed to meet him through the jangla. This is inhuman. Even hardcore criminals are allowed in-person meetings," the AAP leader said.
AAP leader further emphasized that the 'mulakat jangla' is an iron mesh which separates the inmate from the visitor in a room inside the jail. A visitor and an inmate can talk to each other by sitting on different sides of the mesh.There was no immediate reaction from the Tihar administration.

Speaking at a press conference in the national capital, Sanjay Singh said, "Elected thrice with an overwhelming majority, the Chief Minister of 2 crore people in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, is being 'tortured,' at the behest of the Government of India, at the behest of the Prime Minister of the country."

On Friday, the jail authorities scheduled Kejriwal’s meeting with his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann for April 15, saying that he can meet the AAP convener, but as a normal visitor in the 'mulakat jangla'.
The chief minister met his wife Sunita Kejriwal and personal secretary Bibhav Kumar inside Tihar Jail on Tuesday.