Arvind Kejriwal Arrest: AAP to Hold Protest, Announces Candlelight March Across Delhi

Delhi Cm Arvind Kejriwal got arrested by ED after ignoring 9 summonses. AAP and INDIA alliance came in support of Arvind Kejriwal and started protesting against government and stating it just as a political Vendetta. On Sunday AAP has announced that they will hold a candlelight march and effigy burning across Delhi.  

On Saturday, AAP released statement in which they stated that, ""There will be a candle march and effigy burning across Delhi tomorrow in protest against the dictatorship of the BJP and the fake arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. Now the people of Delhi have come out on the streets in protest against the arrest of CM Arvind Kejriwal. We all have to stand together as the shield of Arvind Kejriwal. The arrest of Arvind Kejriwal will prove to be the last nail to oust the Modi government from power."

On March 21, Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy case arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Meanwhile Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has taken his case to the Delhi High Court, challenging both his arrest and the court's decision to keep him in custody, which happened on March 22. His legal team argues that both his arrest and the court's order to keep him detained are illegal, and they're pushing for his immediate release. They've requested an urgent hearing from the Acting Chief Justice, ideally on Sunday, March 24.

ED claims that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), of which Kejriwal is a part, has benefited significantly from the alleged liquor scam's proceeds. Earlier, on Friday, the Rouse Avenue Court decided to keep Kejriwal in ED custody until March 28 in connection to the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam. This decision came after Kejriwal's arrest by the central probe agency on Thursday night. The ED had asked for a 10-day remand.

The arrest of a sitting Chief Minister is unprecedented in independent India and came after Kejriwal ignored multiple summons from the investigation agency, deeming them "illegal". The case revolves around allegations of irregularities and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy 2022, which was later scrapped. Although Kejriwal was not initially named in the FIRs filed by the ED or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Delhi excise policy case, his involvement came to light later. The ED alleges that he had a video call with one of the main accused, Sameer Mahendru, instructing him to continue working with another accused, AAP communications-in-charge Vijay Nair. Nair was one of the first people arrested by the CBI in 2022. Following that, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh were also arrested in connection with the case.