A Delhi court issued a seven-day detention order for prominent politician Arvind Kejriwal, a significant blow to India’s opposition currently vying with Narendra Modi in the upcoming national elections.
The Delhi’s top executive, and Modi’s main political rival, will now undergo questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding alleged corruption.
The financial crime agency detained Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal Thursday evening, citing accusations of wrongdoing concerning alcohol regulations. This is unprecedented: an Indian chief minister apprehended while in office.
Many see the apprehension as an attempt by the Modi government to silence opposition voices before the April elections.
For a second consecutive day, Saturday saw numerous Delhi residents protesting in the streets, demanding Kejriwal’s immediate release. Protesters shouted slogans like ‘End Kejriwal Modi’ and ‘No to Dictatorship,’ reflecting longstanding opposition claims of Modi’s authoritarian rule and use of federal agencies to suppress dissent before elections.
Federal investigators accuse the Aam Aadmi Party head of conspiracy related to the now-repealed Delhi liquor policy.
The policy, initially lauded for modernizing alcohol sales in urban areas, granted vendors remarkably high profit margins—around 185 percent—unheard of before.
Investigators also claim Kejriwal received a ₹1 billion bribe from liquor vendors about two years ago. Kejriwal’s party denies these accusations, calling them politically motivated.
In a virtual press briefing on Saturday, Sunita Kejriwal shared her husband’s message from jail.
She stated: “My
Kejriwal’s Detention: A Blow to the Opposition or a Necessary Investigation?
The arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s Chief Minister and a prominent figure in India’s opposition, has sent shockwaves through the nation. His seven-day detention by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of corruption related to the now-repealed Delhi liquor policy marks an unprecedented event – the apprehension of a sitting chief minister.
The ED alleges a conspiracy involving Kejriwal, claiming he received a ₹1 billion bribe from liquor vendors and that the policy itself granted excessively high profit margins to vendors. Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) vehemently deny these accusations, labeling them as politically motivated attempts to silence opposition voices ahead of the crucial April national elections.
The timing of the arrest, so close to the elections and amidst a climate of already heightened political tension, fuels suspicion. Protests erupted in Delhi, with citizens demanding Kejriwal’s immediate release and decrying what they perceive as authoritarian tactics by the Modi government. Slogans like “End Kejriwal Modi” and “No to Dictatorship” highlight the deep-seated public distrust and accusations of using federal agencies to suppress dissent.
The liquor policy itself, while initially praised for modernizing alcohol sales, is now at the center of controversy. The unusually high profit margins granted to vendors are a key element of the investigation. Whether these margins represent genuine policy flaws or evidence of corruption remains a central question.
This situation presents a complex narrative. While the accusations against Kejriwal are serious, the timing and the history of alleged political maneuvering raise critical questions about due process and the potential for political interference. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether this is a legitimate investigation or a politically motivated move aimed at undermining the opposition before the elections. The outcome will undoubtedly have profound implications for the upcoming electoral landscape.