Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday. This came after the AAP leader repeatedly skipped around nine summons from the ED related to a money laundering probe.
Earlier this week, the Delhi High Court had rejected Kejriwal's plea seeking safeguards from arrests in the Delhi excise policy scam.
The police have stepped up security around the Aam Aadmi Party office near ITO. The Delhi Police, on Friday, urged commuters to steer clear of certain routes such as IP Marg, Vikas Marg, Minto Road, and others due to AAP protests following Kejriwal's detention by the ED.
Following the arrest, many political figures turned to X to express their opinions. Delhi's Education Minister, Atishi Marlena Singh, urged the Supreme Court to conduct an immediate hearing on the matter.
The case dates back to 2021, when the AAP government implemented new modifications to its liquor policy. These changes included the reduction of the legal drinking age from 25 to 21 years, the discontinuation of government-owned liquor outlets by granting store operation licenses to private entities, and the introduction of distinct registration criteria for various liquor brands.
However, the policy received many allegations related to corruption and favoritism in the licensing process, that pushed the Delhi government to roll back its excise policy. Controversies emerged over alleged financial favoritism towards liquor licensees during the tender allocation process.
The detention of the Delhi Chief Minister comes at a critical time as the nation eagerly awaits the upcoming election.
