New Delhi, 27 March 2024: Arvind Kejriwal, arrested in the Delhi liquor policy case, has not got relief from the Delhi High Court. The next hearing of the case will be on April 3. Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday urged the Delhi High Court to order his immediate release from ED custody. Kejriwal argued that his arrest at the time of elections is against the basic structure of the Constitution.
Kejriwal’s lawyer gave this argument: Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), argued, “The purpose of the arrest was not to find material but to incapacitate me and my party. My prayer is, release me now. Singhvi claimed that Kejriwal’s arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was not ‘necessary’ and the ground of ‘non-cooperation’ has been misused the most by the ED.
ED’s lawyer gave this argument: Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the investigating agency, said that a voluminous petition has been submitted to him only on Tuesday and the agency should be given three weeks to bring its side on record. He said that even for interim relief, adequate time should be given to respond. Singhvi alleged that the request for time to file a reply is a delaying tactic in the case.
The senior lawyer said that the grounds of arrest have been challenged and there are many “serious issues” which need to be decided by the High Court immediately. Singhvi said, “Democracy is also involved. The basic structure (of the Constitution) is also involved. If the arrest is illegal, then even an hour spent in custody is too long. Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has sought his immediate release in view of his arrest and subsequent remand to the ED. He was arrested by the ED on March 21.
