Hours after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, Sharmishta Mukherjee, daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee accused him and the Anna Hazare group of making ‘irresponsible, baseless and wild’ allegations against former Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dixit.
She added that despite their claims of ‘trunk loads’ of evidence against Ms. Dixit, none has been so far presented.
“Karma catches up,” Ms. Mukherjee said in a post on the social media platform ‘X’.
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Mr. Kejriwal is the fourth Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader to have been arrested in the case, after former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha Member Sanjay Singh and the former party’s communications in-charge Vijay Nair; while former Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendar Kumar Jain was arrested in another case.
Earlier this week, the ED had alleged that Bharat Rashtra Samithi legislator K. Kavitha, along with others, had conspired with the top AAP leaders, including Mr. Kejriwal and Mr. Sisodia, for getting favours in the formulation and implementation of the erstwhile Delhi excise policy. The AAP had refuted the charges, raising suspicion that a ground was being prepared to arrest the Chief Minister.
The Aam Aadmi Party has reiterated that investigation agencies have not found any evidence against any AAP members regarding the case.
Delhi CM Kejriwal arrested
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by ED on March 21 on charges of corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped.
A high-paced drama that ensued for a couple of hours after the ED team arrived at Mr. Kejriwal’s residence, culminated with his arrest, as the agency took him to its headquarters in central Delhi.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that it has moved the Supreme Court to quash the arrest, and has asked for an urgent hearing after the Delhi High Court declined to grant any immediate protection to Mr. Kejriwal.
While several members of the AAP begun protests against Mr. Kejriwal’s arrest, Opposition members have criticised the government and the ruling-BJP over the Chief Minister’s arrest.
The senior AAP leadership said that the main purpose of the Delhi CM’s arrest ahead of the election was to stop the him from campaigning, and to stifle the voice of the Opposition. Senior party leader Atishi said that what Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP do not understand is that they will not be able to silence Mr. Kejriwal by using the ED.
Published - March 22, 2024 10:43 am IST
