Arvind Kejriwal to move Supreme Court as HC order upholds his arrest

In a major setback, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea against his arrest in the liquor policy case was dismissed by the Delhi High Court.

Following the order, Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said that they will approach the Supreme Court.

"We will go to the Supreme Court. We have full faith in the Supreme Court that just like Sanjay Singh got relief from the Supreme Court...We totally hope that in Arvind Kejriwal's matter, the court will give relief," said Bharadwaj.

In its order, the high court held that Kejriwal's 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 conflict is not between the central government and Kejriwal but between ED and Kejriwal.

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.

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