SC declines interim relief for Arvind Kejriwal, issues notice to ED

The Supreme Court on April 15 issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate seeking its reply to a plea filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest.

Refusing to list the plea for urgent hearing, the apex court asked the agency to file its reply by April 24.

Kejriwal's counsel had sought interim relief from the arrest in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam case.

The next hearing will now commence on April 29.

The high court had on April 9 upheld his arrest in the money-laundering case, saying the ED was left with "little option" after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation.

The high court had dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's petition challenging his arrest by the ED and subsequent remand in the federal agency's custody.

The matter pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of 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 is in currently lodged in Tihar Jail.

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