Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, the same case for which he was previously arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. The CBI has sought five-day custody of Kejriwal for ‘custodial interrogation’, citing fresh details in the investigation.
The developments in Kejriwal’s case and custody are politically significant for him and his party. The CBI’s action coincides with the Parliament session, with all Opposition leaders and MPs in Delhi to attend it.
Despite Kejriwal’s significant role in the INDIA bloc, having held several meetings with senior Congress leaders and other prominent politicians, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is yet to see any solidarity movement on the streets of Delhi or on the floor of Parliament demanding his release or protesting the recent actions.
Several instances of coordination issues or lack of consensus have reflected through decisions taken by some of the alliance partners during the Lok Sabha session, including the choice of Speaker candidate or seeking division during the voice vote to elect the speaker. But the lack of support and voices in favour of AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal and JMM’s Hemant Soren show the glaring fissures in the Opposition alliance.
The expected unified reaction from all the alliance partners, primarily from the Congress, is still missing. Among other instances of coordination gap, the current situation of not supporting the AAP enough in its fights against the ED and CBI to get Kejriwal bail, appears to be undermining the very objective of the INDIA bloc.
Latest Twist in Kejriwal Saga
The CBI moved for an arrest warrant after questioning Kejriwal in Tihar Jail on Tuesday. The series of events culminating in the Delhi Chief Minister’s arrest came when he was fighting for bail and had moved the Supreme Court to challenge a stay granted by the Delhi High Court on the trial court’s bail order.
The CBI sought five-day custody of Kejriwal, pleading that the central agency has got fresh materials and inputs against the Delhi CM. The court, with certain riders, granted a three-day custody. However, the CBI may seek extension of custody in connection with the case, which will mean more difficult days for Kejriwal and his party.
The ED is investigating the money trail, alleged hawala links, and alleged kickbacks from businessmen, while the CBI is probing fraud, criminal conspiracy, financial misappropriation, and loss to the government exchequer. The ED, on May 17, filed its ninth supplementary chargesheet in connection with Delhi liquor policy case, naming Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP as prime accused.
As the trial begins, the directorate may initiate legal measures to recover the proceeds of the crime which, according to the investigators, is around Rs 100 crore. The party may lose some of its assets, while some of its bank accounts may be frozen by the directorate as part of penalty actions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
What Does a Prolonged Jail Term Mean for Arvind Kejriwal?
The stretched jail term for Kejriwal may be detrimental for his party as Delhi will be going to polls next year. With the assembly elections scheduled in 2025 in Delhi, the challenge for AAP to keep its house in order and continue with its political relevance.
Apart from Kejriwal, other senior leaders and ministers like Manish Sisodia and Satyender Jain are still behind bars, while senior MP Sanjay Singh is out on bail. Sisodia has been in jail for almost one-and-half-years now, while Jain is languishing in jail for over two years. None of the senior ministers of the government succeeded in getting bail.
With the ED preparing for further legal action against the AAP, an accused in the case, it may become difficult for Kejriwal’s colleagues to keep the political structure afloat, while managing the administration. Even though AAP fared reasonably well in Punjab, it failed in winning a seat in Delhi in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Deafening Silence of INDIA
AAP MPs and senior politicians of the party have staged a protest in the Parliament complex demanding Kejriwal’s release. However, there has been no discussion with the allies. In fact, the alliance partners are yet to join the protest in support of Kejriwal.
Same is the case when it comes to alliance support for former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren. Soren was arrested in January and has been behind bars since then. He was never granted interim bail either.
During election campaigning, the Opposition had raised the issue of alleged atrocities by central agencies and had accused the BJP of political vendetta. However, post-election, the same opposition parties have not joined the protests meetings of their alliance partners AAP and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
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