A medical team arrived at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office on Friday to conduct a medical examination of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal. Meanwhile, heavy security measures, including barricades, were implemented at ITO after Kejriwal’s arrest by the ED in the Excise Policy Case the previous night, as he was brought to the ED Headquarters. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced the closure of ITO Metro station from 08:00 am to 06:00 pm today based on the advice of the Delhi Police.
Earlier on Thursday, a team from the Enforcement Directorate had visited Kejriwal’s residence to interrogate him regarding the liquor policy case. Subsequently, amidst dramatic circumstances, Kejriwal was arrested as he failed to secure interim protection from arrest in the liquor policy case from the Delhi High Court. AAP workers and leaders showed solidarity with Kejriwal following his arrest, while the INDIA bloc also expressed support for the AAP leader. BJP leaders backed the ED’s actions against the Delhi Chief Minister, emphasizing the importance of truth prevailing.
In response to his arrest, Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal moved to the Supreme Court, albeit without receiving a special hearing late at night. Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai declared the commencement of a battle, announcing a nationwide protest against the “illegal” arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. Rai stated, “If the BJP thinks that they can finish the Aam Aadmi Party and threaten the entire Opposition by arresting Arvind Kejriwal, then they are wrong… A battle has begun. We have decided that we will stage a protest at the BJP headquarters at 10 am…”
The INDIA bloc parties voiced their support for Kejriwal and condemned the BJP’s use of the ED as a weapon against the Opposition. Additionally, on March 15, the ED arrested Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in connection with money laundering charges linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. Furthermore, two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are in judicial custody in the excise policy case. Sisodia, the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 after several rounds of questioning, while on October 5, the ED arrested Sanjay Singh, a Rajya Sabha member.