Arvind Kejriwal's arrest in liquor policy case valid: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court on April 9 dismissed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest in the liquor policy case. The court held that the arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the case is valid.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief questioned the timing of the arrest but the court said that judges are bound by law and not by politics.

The court further noted that this is not conflict between the central government and Kejriwal but between ED and Kejriwal.

"The court is of the view that the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal was not in contravention of legal provisions. The remand can't be held to be illegal," said Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma while delivering the verdict.

Besides his arrest, Kejriwal, who is currently in judicial custody, also challenged his subsequent remand in ED custody in the case.

The matter pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 that was later scrapped.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21, hours after the high court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the federal anti-money laundering agency.

He was sent to judicial custody in the case on April 1 after he was produced in the trial court on expiry of ED custody.

(With PTI inputs)