Arvind Kejriwal arrest LIVE updates | SC to shortly hear Kejriwal’s plea challenging his ED arrest in the excise policy case

Read The Hindu’s live coverage of the proceedings here. 

With the Delhi Chief Minister in jail, how is the administration carrying out its tasks? 

Read The Hindu’s detailed explainer here. 

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has recommended an NIA probe against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly receiving political funding from the banned terrorist organisation ‘Sikhs for Justice’, Raj Niwas sources said on May 6.

In a letter to the Union Home secretary, the Lt. Governor’s secretariat said Mr. Saxena had received a complaint that the Kejriwal-led AAP allegedly received $16 million funding from extremist Khalistani groups for facilitating the release of Devendra Pal Bhullar.

“The electronic evidences adduced by the complainant requires investigation including forensic examination,” Mr. Saxena has said. The complaint is made against a chief minister and relates to political funding received from a banned terrorist organisation, the letter stated.

The case arose from a report submitted by Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena in July 2022 alleging that there were procedural lapses in the formulation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, which came into force in November 2021 but was later scrapped in July 2022. 

The Chief Secretary alleged that kickbacks received by the Aam Admi Party (AAP) leaders from operators of alcohol businesses for preferential treatment were used to “influence” the 2022 Assembly elections in Punjab and Goa. Subsequently, the ED claimed that the scam involved giving wholesale liquor businesses to private entities with a fixed margin of 12% for a 6% kickback.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) told the High Court on April 2 that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the “kingpin” and the “key conspirator” in the excise policy case and that, based on the material evidence in the agency’s possession, there are “reasons to believe” that Mr. Kejriwal is also guilty of money laundering.

The Supreme Court on April 30 said the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) would have to justify the timing of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case on March 21, barely a week after the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha election came into force.

A Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta wound up the second consecutive day of hearings in a petition filed by Mr. Kejriwal, on his fifth furlough of remand till May 7, with a parting shot at the Central agency.

The Supreme Court forewarned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 3 that it may “consider” granting interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case due to the ongoing Lok Sabha election.

“Let me make it clear, we may consider interim bail because of elections,” Justice Sanjiv Khanna informed Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the ED. 

Justice Khanna, heading a two-judge Bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta, pointedly asked the ED when the polling phase in Delhi was scheduled. 

Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, for Mr. Kejriwal, said the polling was in the sixth phase on May 25. Campaigning would cease on May 23.