Arvind Kejriwal appeals to Supreme Court over arrest in Delhi liquor case

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took his battle to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, contesting the Delhi High Court's dismissal of his plea challenging his arrest in the alleged liquor policy scam. This legal maneuver followed the High Court's decision on Tuesday, which rejected Kejriwal's petition contesting his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the subsequent remand order by the trial court.

Supreme Court challenge after High Court ruling

The move by the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, followed a detailed legal examination by the Delhi High Court, which upheld the ED's actions based on substantial evidence. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who presided over the case, remarked on the material presented by the ED that led to Kejriwal's arrest.

In its observation, the court stated, "The files and material placed before us reveal that the mandate of law was followed by the ED." The court's decision was grounded in the content of statements provided by hawala dealers and AAP candidates involved in Goa elections, underscoring the gravity of the allegations.

AAP's response to the High Court's ruling

Immediately responding to the High Court's judgement, AAP voiced strong dissent, labelling the liquor policy scam as a political ploy aimed at undermining the party and Arvind Kejriwal. Saurabh Bharadwaj, an AAP Minister, expressed their disagreement with the court's decision and announced their intention to seek relief from the Supreme Court.

Bharadwaj emphasized, "We respectfully submit that we do not agree with its order and will move the Supreme Court against it." He further criticized the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for their inability to recover any illicit funds in the so-called scam, characterizing it as a political conspiracy to destabilize Kejriwal and AAP governments.