NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Arvind Kejriwal from his residence hours after the Delhi High Court denied the Delhi CM protection against "coercive action" by the agency in a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. The arrest was made at 9.11 pm.
Kejriwal is the first serving chief minister in the history of Independent India to be arrested. His party said he will continue in his post.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) transferred Kejriwal from his official residence to the agency's office in central Delhi. Around 11 pm, a convoy of cars departed from the CM's residence with Kejriwal in one of the probe agency's vehicles, escorted by a dozen more cars from the Delhi Police. The chief minister was taken to the ED headquarters on APJ Abdul Kalam Road, which was 14 kilometers away from Civil Lines.
The officials said the ED would produce the chief minister before a court here on Friday and seek his custody for interrogation in the case.
The Supreme Court is not holding any urgent hearing on Thursday night on Kejriwal's plea.
The AAP leaders, angry over their party supremo's arrest, sharply reacted over the high-end development, terming the action against a sitting chief minister's a part of "BJP's vindictive politics which is murdering democracy".
Minister Atishi slammed the arrest and said Kejriwal will run the governmenment from jail.
"We have always said that Arvind Kejriwal will run the government from jail. He will remain the CM of Delhi," she emphasised.
Atishi further said that they have filed a case in the Supreme Court and their lawyers are heading to the apex court to demand an urgent hearing on Thursday night itself.
Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said it was BJP's plan to put all top leaders in jail. "The ED raided CM's residence, completely searched the house and found nothing. Only they found a cash Rs 70,000 which they even returned. This is nothing but murder of democracy," Bhardwaj said.
The Delhi Chief Minister was interrogated by the ED, with his statements reportedly recorded under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The interrogation lasted for over two hours. Meanwhile, AAP leaders gathered at the CM's residence, staging a large-scale protest.
The ED team included half a dozen senior officers with a Joint Director of the probe agency leading them. Sources said that Kejriwal's mobile phone had been seized.
The authorities had already anticipated that a large number of AAP workers could try to reach the CM's residence in protest against the action, a heavy security ring including the personnel of the Rapid Action Force was put in place initially. Later, Section 144 was also imposed around Kejriwal's residence a little before the arrest.
The agitated AAP leaders, raising slogans against the Centre-ruled BJP and like 'AAP zindabad', and 'Arvind bhai tum sangharsh karo, hum tumhare sath hain," started gathering near CM's official residence at Civil Lines and staged a massive protest against their leader's arrest after which the police forcibly detained them from the spot.
AAP MLA Rakhi Birla who was also detained by police and forcibly pushed into a police bus, alleged that she was punched by one of the policewomen.
Senior police officers including Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) MK Meena and ACPs were present at the spot.
Earlier, AAP leaders had claimed that Delhi Ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj along with others reached the CM's residence but were stopped from entering the house.
“It's evident that the ED, under the influence of the BJP has demonstrated disregard for the judiciary. If they respected the courts, they wouldn't have conducted a raid on Arvind Kejriwal's residence today. This situation reeks of political scheming, and their intention appears to be the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal,” Atishi was quoted as saying then.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann tweets support
AAP leader and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann had posted his support for his leader.
"The political team of BJP (ED) cannot confine Kejriwal's ideology because the AAP alone can stop BJP. Ideology can never be suppressed," he wrote on X in Hindi.
BJP brace for people's wrath says Stalin, Priyanka Gandhi blames PM
DMK President and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin pulled no punches.
"Ahead of #Elections2024, driven by fear of a decade of failures and the imminent defeat, the Fascist BJP Govt sinks to despicable depths by arresting Hon'ble Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal, following the unjust targeting of brother @HemantSorenJMM," he tweeted.
"Not a single BJP leader faces scrutiny or arrest, laying bare their abuse of power and the decay of democracy. The relentless persecution of opposition leaders by the BJP Govt smacks of a desperate witch-hunt. This tyranny ignites public fury, unmasking BJP's true colours. But their futile arrests only fuel our resolve, fortifying the #INDIA alliance's march to victory. BJP, brace for the people's wrath!" he added.
Priyanka Gandhi also slammed the arrest, underlining that it was "wrong and unconstitutional" to target the Delhi CM when we elections had been announced. "It doesn't behove the Prime Minister to stoop to this level," she tweeted in Hindi.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Sharad Pawar was unequivocal in his condemnation too. "Strongly condemn the vindictive misuse of central agencies to target the opposition, especially as general elections loom. This arrest showcases the depth to which BJP will stoop for power. 'INDIA' stands united against this unconstitutional action against Arvind Kejriwal,"
In a strong reaction to the arrest of Kejriwal, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi,on the microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), remarked in Hindi, "A scared dictator wants to create a dead democracy," without explicitly naming anyone.
Tejashwi Yadav, former Deputy CM of Bihar accused the ruling party of imposing an "undeclared emergency" and misusing investigative agencies to target political adversaries instead of engaging in democratic competition. Yadav expresses solidarity with Kejriwal and underscores a commitment to resisting such tactics, affirming support for the Delhi government and vowing to fight back.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, calling it part of a plot to silence opposition voices before the general elections. He urged collective action to resist abuse of power.
