In a graft investigation, his supporters claim it is done to distract Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s opponents ahead of national elections. The top politician in New Delhi was detained on Thursday ( Mar 21 ).
Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s deputy minister and a key head in an opposition alliance challenging Modi in next week’s surveys, was detained after numerous hours of questioning by the Enforcement Directorate, India’s key financial crimes company.
Two of Kejriwal’s top allies have already been imprisoned as a result of a probe into the problem, which has led to accusations of corruption in the administration of the allocation of secret liquor licenses.
Atishi Marlena Singh, the state’s education minister, confirmed the arrest and said Kejriwal remained the government’s chief secretary.
” We made it clear from the beginning that Arvind Kejriwal may run the government from jail,” she said.
She described his arrest as a “political conspiracy” orchestrated by Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP).
According to Singh,” I want to remind Prime Minister Modi that Arvind Kejriwal is more than just a human being.” You are mistaken if you believe that one Arvind Kejriwal will help you accomplish that idea.
She also said Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP ) was seeking a court intervention to quash the arrest.
Singh posted a request for an immediate hearing from the Supreme Court on Thursday on X, originally Online.
Security personnel watched as a number of irate followers gathered in front of Kejriwal’s house and yelled slogans.
In order to end a government monopoly, Kejriwal’s administration’s questionable policy, which called for personal players to open stores, was implemented in 2021.
The plan was discontinued in 2022, and two older AAP members were imprisoned as a result of the investigation into the allegedly crooked allocation of licenses.
Kejriwal, 55, who has served as the country’s deputy secretary for nearly a century and first took office as a ardent anti-corruption rebel, had resisted receiving numerous summonses from the Enforcement Directorate to become questioning as part of the investigation.
Virendra Sachdeva, the mind of the BJP’s Delhi company, said Kejriwal had been “making mistakes” to prevent explaining his position in the case.
” The political drama he was engaging in has been put to an end today,” Sachdeva said. ” Now, the reality has finally prevailed.”