New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from his residence on Thursday in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. Following his arrest, Kejriwal was taken to the Enforcement Directorate headquarters where he will spend the night.
The development came hours after the Delhi High Court refused interim relief to the AAP supremo in connection with the Enforcement Directorate summons issued to him in the liquor policy case.
Notably, Kejriwal was issued nine summonses by the probe agency to join questioning in connection with the ongoing investigation but he refused to comply.
Shortly after the court hearing, a team of Enforcement Directorate officials reached Kejriwal’s Civil Lines residence. The probe officials conducted searches at his residence and also questioned the Chief Minister.
The mobile phones of Arvind Kejriwal and his family members were also taken away by the officials, sources said.
Massive police deployment and barricading was in place outside the Chief Minister’s residence as AAP leaders and supporters gathered to protest. AAP MLA Rakhi Birla, who was protesting outside his house, was detained by the police.
Later, Kejriwal was taken to the Enforcement Directorate office in a car after the probe agency officials completed their searches at his residence.
The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped.
The ED and the CBI have alleged that the Delhi government’s excise policy to grant licenses to liquor traders allowed cartelization and favored certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by AAP.
The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the irregularities in its formulation and implementation.
