'Blatant interference in internal matters': India slams Germany's remarks on Arvind Kejriwal's arrest

India has strongly criticised Germany for interfering in its internal affairs after the country made remarks on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the liquor scam.

The Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy, George Enzweiler, was called upon by the Ministry of External Affairs when officials said that Germany’s Foreign Ministry’s statement about the matter was a “blatant interference in India’s internal matters”.

“We have taken note, India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards relating to independence of the Judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case,” the spokesperson of the German Foreign Ministry said earlier.

The ministry added, “Like anyone facing accusations, Mr Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial, this includes he can make use of all available legal avenues without restrictions. The presumption of innocence is a central element of the rule of law and must apply to him.”

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Kejriwal was, on Friday, remanded to ED custody for seven days–till March 28, a day after he was arrested by the probe agency for alleged money laundering in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order after the Delhi CM was produced on Friday following his arrest on Thursday night by the central agency. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped.

With inputs from agencies