Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Remanded to Judicial Custody

Arvind Kejriwal, leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and CM of Delhi, was detained on 21 Mar by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) — India's financial crimes agency. Kejriwal had earlier skipped nine ED summons and was detained from his home. Kejriwal has denied any wrongdoing and opposition leaders say his arrest is politically motivated. The nationally ruling BJP has denied the allegation. Kejriwal's arrest by a financial crimes agency comes as a blow to the opposition just weeks before India's general elections. AAP is part of the 27-party INDIA alliance aiming to challenge the BJP. AAP leader and Delhi finance minister Atishi said, ‘This is a way to steal elections. Kejriwal has been arrested to stop him from campaigning in the general elections.’ Kejriwal was produced in a Delhi trial court and remanded in custody until 28 Mar. In November 2021, the Delhi government introduced a new excise policy. In July 2022, Delhi's Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar reported violations in the policy to Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Vinai Kumar Saxena who recommended a probe. The ED alleged that the ‘scam’ involved giving wholesale liquor businesses to private entities with a fixed margin of 12%, for a 6% kickback, and caused loss of $70M to the state treasury. This is the same case under which earlier Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha (Upper House) member Sanjay Singh had been arrested. The recent Electoral Bonds revelations point towards a businessman Sarat Chandra Reddy, director of Aurobindo Pharma, who was probed by ED, donated $7M to BJP, and has turned approver in the case. On 20 Mar, the union government froze the INC accounts. Now AAP claims its main office is sealed. This does not bode well for democracy.