 "'Why the arrest before general elections?': SC seeks ED reply on timing of Kejriwal's arrest")
The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought an answer from Enforcement Directorate regarding the timing of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest preceding the general elections, urging a response from the agency.
A bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta asked Additional Solicitor General SV Raju to reply on the question of the timing and said, “Life and liberty are exceedingly important. You can’t deny that.”
According to an NDTV report, explaining the reason behind why the question of the timing of the arrest arose, Justice Sanjeev Khanna told the ED to explain whether the central agency can take up criminal proceedings without having gone through judicial proceedings in the case.
“No attachment action has been taken so far in this case, and if it has been done, then show how Kejriwal is involved in the matter,” the report quoted Justice Khanna as saying.
“Tell me, why the arrest before the general elections?” he said.
The bench, which asked Raju several other questions, asked the probe agency to reply on the next date of hearing of Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest.
The matter is likely to be taken up for hearing on Friday - from Wednesday, both judges will be sitting in different combinations.
Kejriwal is currently lodged in the Tihar jail here under judicial custody after his arrest on March 21 in the case.
The top court issued ED a notice on 15 April and sought its response to Kejriwal’s plea.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsOn April 9, the high court upheld Kejriwal’s arrest, saying there was no illegality and the ED was left with “little option” after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation.
The matter pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s now scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.
With inputs from PTI
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