Arvind Kejriwal's Plea Against Arrest: ED Claims Dilemma Over AAP Property Seizure in Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and remand in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy case.

During the hearing, the financial probe agency told the court that it wanted to seize properties belonging to AAP, but could not do it as the party would cite election dates.

Representing the financial probe agency, Additional Solicitor General V Raju said, “We are in a catch-22 situation. We want to attach some of AAP’s properties, but if we do it, they’ll say we did it during elections. If we don’t do it, then they will say where is the proof?”

Opposing the AAP leader’s petition challenging his arrest by the agency in the money laundering case linked to the “scam”, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said the political party, which was the “major beneficiary” of the proceeds of the crime, has committed the offence through Kejriwal.

“They’re playing hot and cold at the same time. You can’t ride two horses at the same time. You can’t challenge the remand on one hand and say you accept the remand on the other,” ASG Raju said.

The ED further said that the investigation over Kejriwal’s role in the liquor policy case was at a nascent stage even as it claimed that it had located the money trail.

“Aam Aadmi has to go behind bars if he has committed a crime, but because you are a Chief Minister you can’t be arrested? You will loot the country but no one can touch you because the elections are coming?” the ASG asked.

“The money trail is there. We have located the money trail. The money may have been used and that is why it can’t be found,” ASG Raju further said.

Responding to Kejriwal’s argument that the arrest was politically motivated, the ASG further said, “Take the case of a terrorist who is also a politician. He blows up an Army vehicle and says, I want to contest elections, so you can’t touch me? What kind of argument is this?”

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday filed a response to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest. He was sent to judicial custody till April 15 on Monday.