Kejriwal withdraws plea from SC, to contest ED remand in lower court

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday withdrew from the Supreme Court his plea against arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy-linked money laundering case.

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 be allowed to withdraw the plea.

"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 after the ED arrested him.

He was arrested hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the 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.