Fit case of misusing ED to crush poll rival: Kejriwal

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, April 27

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday told the Supreme Court that his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the excise scam was a classic case of a ruling party misusing probe agencies to crush its biggest political opponent—AAP and its leaders.

In an affidavit filed as a rejoinder to the ED’s reply to his petition challenging the Delhi High Court’s April 9 verdict upholding his arrest, Kejriwal said, “The mode, manner and timing of the petitioner’s arrest just before the Lok Sabha elections were announced and the model code of conduct came into play speaks volumes about the ED’s arbitrariness. This timeline establishes the fact that the petitioner has been arrested intentionally with a mala fide intent without any necessity to arrest.”

A Bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna is expected to take up on Monday Kejriwal’s affidavit along with his main petition on which the top court had issued a notice to the ED on April 15. “During an election cycle when political activity is at its highest, the petitioner’s illegal arrest has caused grave prejudice to the petitioner’s political party, and will provide the ruling party at the Centre an unjust upper hand in the elections. A level playing field, which is a prerequisite for ‘free and fair elections, has clearly been compromised with the illegal arrest,” he submitted. He alleged the ED had acted in the most highhanded manner in a gross affront to the due process of law.

The ED had arrested Kejriwal on March 21 after the Delhi High Court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the probe agency in the money laundering case. The High Court had on April 9 dismissed Kejriwal’s petition challenging his arrest by the ED, saying there was no violation of law as there was “enough material” which justified his arrest.

Wife’s maiden roadshow

CM Kejriwal’s wife Sunita held her maiden roadshow in support of AAP’s East Delhi nominee on Saturday. She said her husband was a “sher” and nobody could break him. “He was jailed as he built schools, provided free power and opened Mohalla Clinics,” she said.