SC to hear CM Kejriwal's plea against ED arrest on Monday

The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday the petition filed by incarcerated Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest and subsequent remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case.

As per the details published on the website of the apex court, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta will take up the matter on April 29.

Last week, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the AAP supremo, apprised Justice Khanna-led Bench that as per the computer-generated case status, Kejriwal’s plea is shown to be tentatively listed on May 6, despite the court’s direction to list in the week commencing April 29 for further hearing.

In response, Justice Khanna asked the senior counsel to move an email seeking an urgent listing of the case. “You move an email. We will take it,” Justice Khanna told Singhvi.

In his latest affidavit filed before the apex court, the AAP supremo has condemned his arrest as politically motivated, arguing that it unfairly advantages the ruling party during the ongoing elections, compromising the principle of 'free and fair elections.'

He portrayed the case as a prime example of the central government's misuse of agencies like the ED to suppress political opponents, reiterating his stance that the ED's actions were part of a concerted effort to undermine the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leaders.

Meanwhile, the counter affidavit filed by ED’s Deputy Director said that Kejriwal’s petition is devoid of merit and his arrest was necessitated due to his “total non-co-operative attitude”

The affidavit said that Kejriwal was avoiding interrogation by not remaining present before the investigating officer despite being summoned nine times and while recording his statement under section 17 of the PMLA he was avoiding answering questions by being evasive and totally non-cooperative.

In the previous hearing, the apex court had issued notice to ED, asking the federal anti-money laundering agency to file its reply by April 24. It had allowed the petitioner side to file a rejoinder affidavit, if any, by April 27.