Arvind Kejriwal moves Supreme Court against Delhi High Court order upholding his ED arrest

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has approached the Supreme Court challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and his subsequent remand in the excise policy case. .The Delhi High Court had on Tuesday dismissed Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest by the ED in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case, as well as the remand order passed by the trial court sending him to ED custody. The order was passed by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma who said that there was evidence to show that Kejriwal's involvement in the scam. The High Court further said that the money received as kickbacks was used for political campaigning in the 2022 Goa legislative assembly elections.This has now been challenged before the apex court.The ED’s money laundering probe stems from a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 17, 2022 in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22. The CBI case was registered on a complaint made by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on July 20, 2022. It has been alleged that a criminal conspiracy was hatched by AAP leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other unidentified and unnamed private persons/entities during the stage of the policy’s formulation.The conspiracy, it has been alleged, stemmed from some of the loopholes “intentionally” left or created in the policy. These were allegedly meant to favour some licensees and conspirators post the tender process..Several AAP leaders including former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh were arrested by the ED in connection with the case..Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 and then produced before Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court, which initially remanded him to ED custody till March 28. The ED's custody over him was later extended till April 1. Thereafter, he was sent to judicial custody till April 15. Meanwhile, he challenged his arrest and remand before the High Court.In his plea, Kejriwal contended that the Central government was misusing the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) - under which he was arrested - to create a non-level playing field in the lead up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.The Central government is trying to skew the electoral process in the favour of the ruling party at the Centre (Bharatiya Janata Party), which controls the ED through the Ministry of Finance, Kejriwal alleged.The High Court dismissed his plea yesterday. .He is presently lodged in Tihar Jail.