Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE: AAP to stage nationwide protest; RaGa to meet his family to offer legal assistance

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE Updates: On the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal by the ED, Delhi BJP Vice President Kapil Mishra said, “The arrest was ensured… The connections of corruption lead to Arvind Kejriwal’s home. The politics of Manish Sisodia, Satyender Jain and Arvind Kejriwal will end in the Tihar jail… It is time for justice against the web of alcohol spread by them…”

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE Updates: On advice of Delhi Police, ITO Metro station will remain closed from 08:00 AM to 06:00 PM today i.e, 22nd March 2024. The reason for the metro station to be closed is not known yet, however, it could be due to the AAP’s protest at BJP headquaters at ITO.

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE Updates: Hyderabad-based businessman P Sarath Chandra Reddy is one of the directors of Aurobindo Pharma Limited. The company was founded by Sarath Chandra Reddy’s father PV Ram Prasad Reddy. ED arrested Sarath Chandra Reddy in connection with the liquor scam case on November 10, 2022. Reddy is the non-executive director of the firm. And on November 15, his company Aurobindo Pharma bought electoral bonds worth ₹5 crore, the report says. All the bonds were encashed by the BJP on November 21, 2022, according to the details in the State Bank of India-provided data released by the Election Commission on Thursday. Read more here

Delhi Police on Friday morning beefed up up security with heavy personnel deployment and multi-layer barricading on roads leading to BJP headquarters where AAP leaders and workers will stage protest against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Paramilitary personnel in anti-riot gears have have also been deployed to maintain law and order situation in the area. The traffic police have requested commuters to avoid routes leading to central Delhi in the anticipation of huge gathering of AAP workers. Roads leading to the BJP headquarters and ED office in central Delhi have been closed. AAP leaders have asked party workers to reach the BJP headquarters and commence a protest at 10 am on Friday against Kejriwal’s arrest.

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE Updates: Taking to X, Omar Abdullah said, “Aisi Taisi Democracy. For all the talk of 400+ seats, the ruling dispensation is displaying a remarkable degree of nervousness. Having a sitting opposition CM arrested by a pliable central agency within days of the general elections being announced is a blot on democracy. @JKNC_ stands with @ArvindKejriwal & @AamAadmiParty.”

A team of doctors arrives at the ED office for the medical examination of Delhi CM and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in an excise policy-linked money laundering case on Thursday night and took him to the agency’s headquarters.

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE Updates: On the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal by the ED, National Spokesperson NCP – SCP Clyde Crasto said, “…All this is a systematic plan…This is shameful and fatal for democracy because an attempt is being made to suppress the voice of a leader who is speaking against the BJP…Why are you (BJP) targeting only the INDIA alliance?…We will fight…”

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE Updates: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav on Friday condemned the recent arrest of Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and stated the INDIA alliance is not the one who gets scared, adding that the INDIA alliance are the ones who fight and win. “The way Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested today clearly shows that the BJP is completely scared and wants to fight elections with the help of government investigation agencies and other constitutional institutions. We, the people of the INDIA Alliance, stand firmly with the Delhi government. We are not the ones who get scared, we are the ones who fight and win,” he said in a post on X.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has reached out to Arvind Kejriwal’s family and assured them of his and the grand old party’s support following the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) arrest of the Delhi Chief Minister on Thursday, as per party sources.

Rahul Gandhi will try to meet either Kejriwal or his family on Friday to offer further legal assistance, added the source.

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE Updates: Following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy case, Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday accused Kejriwal and the Anna Hazare group of making ‘irresponsible, baseless allegations against then Delhi Chief Minister and Congress leader Sheila Dikshit.

“He & Anna Hazare gang were responsible for making most irresponsible, baseless & wild allegations against Congress including Sheila Dikshit ji saying he had ‘trunk loads’ of evidence against her. No one has seen the ‘trunk’ so far. Karma catches up!” she said in a post on X.

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE Updates: AAP leader Gopal Rai announced nationwide protests to be held today against the Bharatiya Janata Party over the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on allegations of corruption linked to the city’s liquor policy. “…The BJP sent agencies and got Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal arrested…This is the murder of democracy. Tomorrow at 10 am we will hold a protest against the BJP party over the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal by the ED,” Delhi Minister and AAP leader Rai said

When asked whether Opposition parties will join the protest, he added, “Tomorrow is an open protest. whoever is against the dictatorship all are welcome to join.”

AAP’s Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai gave a call for a nationwide protest against the BJP following Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate.

Rai said Kejriwal’s arrest is the “murder of democracy” and an “announcement of dictatorship”.

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News LIVE Updates: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal brought to ED office in central Delhi after his arrest by the agency. (PTI)

Kerala Chief Minister Vijayan denounced the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that it was a deliberate move aimed at quelling dissenting voices, particularly as the electoral process gains momentum.

“Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest is highly objectionable. The move is part of a deliberate attempt to silence opposition voices at a time when the electoral process gains momentum. This demonstrates the cowardice of those who fear the democratic process,” Vijayan said

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said Arvind Kejriwal has been continuously making excuses in the liquor policy scam since 2020-21 “and the kind of political theatrics he was doing has been put to an end today”.

“Today, finally, the truth triumphed and I believe that the conspiracy hatched by Arvind Kejriwal and his government to push the youth into alcoholism was bound to result in this. The truth had to prevail and Arvind Kejriwal had to be punished for his sins,” Sachdeva said.

“The arbitrary arrest of yet another CM by ED reeks of political vendetta & growing authoritarianism. This cowardly act has exposed fears of the ruling party now resorting to desperate measures by manipulating elections even before they are held. History has shown that tyranny never prevails in the face of unified resistance. We will not be intimidated,” tweets PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti.

“Finally the people of Delhi will get rid of a corrupt Chief Minister. I had said this six years ago that Arvind Kejriwal would end up in Tihar jail due to his corruption. Today finally he has been arrested by ED; this is commendable and finally, the people of Delhi will get justice,” said BJP leader Kapil Mishra after the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal by the ED.

“Shocked by the news of the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Coming hard on the heels of the crippling freeze on Congress bank accounts, it is clear that a systematic effort is on to subvert Indian democracy during our general elections,” tweets Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

“A scared dictator wants to create a dead democracy. While capturing all the institutions including the media, breaking up the parties, extorting money from companies, freezing the account of the main opposition party was not enough for the ‘devilish power’, now the arrest of the elected Chief Ministers has also become a common thing. INDIA will give a befitting reply to this.”, tweets Rahul Gandhi.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge tweets, “The arrogant BJP, which makes false claims of victory every day, is trying to weaken the opposition by all means and illegal means before the elections. If there was real confidence in victory then the accounts of the main opposition party – Congress Party would not have been frozen by misusing the constitutional institutions. The truth is that the BJP is already scared of the upcoming election results…”

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav says, “Those who are themselves imprisoned in the fear of defeat, what will ‘they’ do by imprisoning someone else? BJP knows that it will not come to power again, and due to this fear, it wants to remove the opposition leaders from the public by any means at the time of elections, arrest is just an excuse. This arrest will give birth to a new people’s revolution.”

“No matter how many victim cards Arvind Kejriwal plays, he has to give answers now. When it comes to him (Arvind Kejriwal) being investigated, he is saying that he will run the government from jail,” said BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla

“The (central) government sitting in Delhi has become arrogant and is not letting opposition leaders live. First Hemant Soren, and now Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested. Such misuse of ED and CBI has never been done by any government.”, said Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey

CPI(M) has condemned Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest in the Delhi excise policy-money laundering case. In a statement, CPI(M) said, “We Strongly Condemn the Arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.”

Protesting outside the residence of Arvind Kejriwal, AAP MLA Rakhi Birla has been detained by the Delhi Police. Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Excise policy case.

Arvind Kejriwal’s lawyers are going to the Supreme Court Registrar’s house to request immediate hearing against the Delhi HC’s refusal to grant interim protection to the Delhi CM from arrest in the Delhi excise policy case.

Trinamool Congress condemns the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. “We vehemently condemn the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, an elected CM, especially when EC is in charge & MCC is in place”, said TMC leader Derek O’Brien

Soon after the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said targeting the AAP leader during elections is wrong and unconstitutional, and lowering the level of politics in such a manner neither suits the prime minister nor the BJP-led Centre.

The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Thursday night could not have come at a worse time for the Aam Aadmi Party, which is already grappling with the absence of its top leadership from action.

The party is eyeing at expanding its footprint across the country and has tied up with the Congress to contest the Lok Sabha polls against the BJP in Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat.

Kejriwal is the fulcrum of the party’s Lok Sabha campaign and its star campaigner. The party is already feeling the pinch of the absence of its senior leaders like Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh.

Now the arrest of Kejriwal has landed the ruling party of Delhi in the doldrums.

Not only does Kejriwal’s arrest threaten to derail the party’s Lok Sabha campaign, it could have long standing repercussions on governance in Delhi and the Assembly polls next year.

For now, the party is maintaining a brave face and saying, ‘Ladenge, Jeetenge’ but the truth is that a bumpy road in the coming days awaits the 12-year-old party.

Arrested Delhi CM Kejriwal will be produced before special PMLA court on Friday. The ED will seek his custody for interrogation, says officials.

The investigative agency, Enforcement Directorate (ED), is investigating allegations that a liquor policy implemented by the Delhi government in 2022, which ended its control over sale of liquor in the capital, gave undue advantages to private retailers. The policy was subsequently withdrawn.

“This is wrong; we were urging Arvind Kejriwal to cooperate with them (ED). But, making an arrest without any investigations or questioning is wrong,” said Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on ED arresting Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Udit Raj said, “At present, heavy police security have surrounded the house of the Chief Minister of Delhi and converted it into a camp as if he is a dacoit… This is the situation today with a Chief Minister elected by the people. Such behaviour in India is the murder of democracy…”

AAP MLA Rakhi Birla detained by Delhi Police while protesting outside the residence of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that there was a “huge conspiracy” behind Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and accused the BJP of stooping to any level to make him bow down.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Kejriwal from his residence here on Thursday evening, officials said, shortly after the high court refused to grant the AAP leader protection from coercive action in an excise policy-linked money-laundering case.

Delhi Cabinet minister Atishi said Arvind Kejriwal will continue as the chief minister and run Delhi government from prison if needed after his arrest by the ED in an excise policy-linked money laundering case.

She also said that the Aam Aadmi Party has moved the Supreme Court against the action by the federal agency.

“He will continue as the chief minister of Delhi. If need be, he will run the government from jail. There is no rule that stops him from running the government from jail,” Atishi told reporters in national capital Delhi.

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal becomes the first sitting chief minister to have been arrested.

According to reports, Delhi CHief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be taken for medical examination. The AAP leader will be produced before court tomorrow, 22 March.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal who has been arrested by the ED will now be taken to ED headquarters for further questioning in the now scrapped Delhi liquor policy scam case

CM Kejriwal arrested under PMLA. Fourth high profile arrest after Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and K Kavitha in Delhi excise policy probe.

AAP leader Atishi said, “We have received news that ED has arrested Arvind Kejriwal… We have always said that Arvind Kejriwal will run the govt from jail. He will remain the CM of Delhi. We have filed a case in the Supreme Court. Our lawyers are reaching SC. We will demand SC have an urgent hearing tonight.”

“We have moved the Supreme Court for quashing the arrest of Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal, by ED. We have asked for an urgent hearing by the Supreme Court tonight itself.” Atishi wrote on X.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case

Arvind Kejriwal will not seek urgent hearing on plea for protection in SC tonight, says senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi

On the ED team reaching Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s residence for questioning, JD(U) National Secretary Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said, “The HC refused to put a stay on his arrest. Arvind Kejriwal ignored 9 summons of the ED. Maybe the ED team has reached his residence with the 10th summons…”

AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha said, “We are waiting for the next step of the BJP govt and what ED does today. People have given the mandate to Arvind Kejriwal to run the govt and he will continue to do so. Even if Arvind Kejriwal will be jailed, ‘Sarkar Jail Se Chalegi’.”

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said, “Arvind Kejriwal has committed a scam in the liquor policy, looted the people of Delhi, done the work of looting Delhi. So if you have cheated the public, committed theft, or committed corruption, then its consequences are also yours. You have committed theft and corruption in changing the liquor policy under the pretext that you will have to answer.”

Delhi Minister Imran Hussain says, “It’s very unfortunate. It’s a conspiracy to stop the AAP and Arvind Kejriwal. People of Delhi love Arvind Kejriwal and they’ll respond to the BJP.”