Just weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha election, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on Thursday by the Enforcement Directorate in the alleged liquor policy scam.
Delhi is the capital city of India.
The arrest comes hours after a team from the ED questioned him at his residence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Kejriwal has become the first serving Chief Minister to be arrested and is the third senior leader from the party to be arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam.
Kejriwal had skipped nine summons issued by the ED in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.
On Monday, he skipped a summon issued by the agency in a money-laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board.
The ED’s questioning of the Delhi chief minister less than a week after BRS leader K Kavitha was arrested in the liquor policy case. After her arrest, Kejriwal was, for the first time, named as a conspirator in the case.
Ever since the ED issued the first summons in October last year and Kejriwal was asked to appear on November 2 last year, there was a momentum that the Delhi chief minister would be arrested by the agency.
Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested in connection with the case in February last year, and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was taken into custody in October.
The Aam Aadmi Party said that arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not step down and run his government from jail.
AAP says Kejriwal to continue to run from government from prison
The AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi Marlena on Thursday said, ”Arvind Kejriwal is Delhi Chief Minister, and he will remain Delhi Chief Minister; this is absolutely clear.”
”Kejriwal will run the government from jail, ” she said.
The Delhi Minister said AAP has challenged Kejriwal’s arrest in the Supreme Court.
India to vote in general polls from April 19 to June 1.
The counting of votes will be held on June 4.