Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal has withdrawn the petition against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from the Supreme Court on Friday.
Kejriwal's counsel said he would contest the remand proceedings before the trial court and then come back to the apex court with another petition.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna and said since the remand proceedings before the trial court later in the day will be clashing with the hearing in the top court, he (Kejriwal) be allowed to withdraw the plea.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on Thursday night in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi government's excise policy 2021-22, which has now been scrapped.
"You may go there (before trial court). Just write an e-mail to the registry. We will see," Justice Khanna told Singhvi.
Singhvi said, "I will write a letter to the registry. I had to mention this again before this court so that it is convenient for your lordships".
The move came hours after Justice Khanna had told Singhvi that Kejriwal's petition against his arrest would be heard by a three-judge bench during the day.
Kejriwal had moved the Supreme Court late Thursday.
He was arrested hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection from any coercive action by the federal agency.
Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in the charge sheets filed by the ED.
The agency has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal for formulating the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits to them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the AAP.
Meanwhile, Delhi Cabinet ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj were detained as AAP leaders staged a protest against the BJP over the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy case.
The two ministers were lodged in a police bus as officials asked protesters at the ITO intersection, which is near the AAP and BJP offices, to disperse in view of prohibitory orders under section 144 imposed in the area.
"I have been detained by Delhi Police while peacefully protesting at ITO. First, these people arrest the Chief Minister of Delhi in false cases, and now those participating in peaceful protests are also being arrested. If this isn't the murder of democracy, then what is?," Atishi posted on X.
Following Kejriwal's arrest Thursday evening, the AAP had given a nationwide call for protest against the BJP.
