New Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal arrested in liquor policy scandal

NEW DELHI: Just before the upcoming Indian national elections, Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of New Delhi, was arrested on Thursday in connection with an alleged liquor policy scandal.

Kejriwal’s arrest marks the first instance of a sitting chief minister being detained in India’s history, as reported by NDTV.

A team of 12 members from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) apprehended Kejriwal at his residence in Civil Lines, North Delhi, this evening.

Following the refusal of the Delhi High Court to grant him protection from coercive action in the excise policy case earlier in the day, the ED team arrived at his residence and initiated questioning, according to Indian Express.

With this arrest, key leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has been in existence for a decade, find themselves in custody. This follows the arrests last year of two of Kejriwal’s deputies in the same case, which the party has denounced as “dirty politics.”

The Enforcement Directorate, a financial crime agency, is probing allegations surrounding a liquor policy introduced by the Delhi government in 2022. This policy, which relinquished government control over liquor sales in the capital, is accused of favoring private retailers unfairly. Subsequently, the policy was revoked.

Atishi, an AAP lawmaker from Delhi, stated on social media that the party is striving to challenge Kejriwal’s recent arrest.

“We have urgently requested a hearing from the Supreme Court tonight,” she affirmed.