Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has taken his legal battle to the Supreme Court after the High Court dismissed his plea challenging his arrest and remand by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy case. The case was brought before Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud.

During the mentioning of the plea before the top court, senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi emphasized the urgency of the matter, stating, “This is an urgent mentioning regarding Delhi chief minister. The arrest is based on an unrelied document and suppressed from us.” However, in response, CJI Chandrachud instructed to send an email.

The High Court, in its recent ruling, delivered a significant setback to Kejriwal’s case. It stated that the materials collected by the federal agency suggested Kejriwal’s involvement in a liquor policy scam, both in his personal capacity and as the convenor of AAP. The court also noted allegations of kickbacks collected by Kejriwal and emphasized that no specific privilege should protect anyone, including the chief minister.

Furthermore, the High Court observed that the timing of Kejriwal’s arrest, in the context of general elections, does not imply any malice on the part of the Enforcement Directorate. It emphasized the need for the court to examine the arrest and remand according to legal principles rather than political considerations.

The court also addressed the issue of “vicarious liability,” confirming that the Enforcement Directorate had sufficient material to justify Kejriwal’s arrest. It clarified that the case pertains to the ED and Kejriwal, not the Central government.

Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21st by the anti-corruption agency stemmed from allegations of direct involvement in a conspiracy related to the formulation of the excise policy, favoring specific individuals, and collecting kickbacks from liquor business owners. He remains under judicial custody in Tihar Jail until April 15th.