The leader of the Aam Aadmi Party in India, Arvind Kejriwal, has been placed in two weeks of judicial detention after his 10-day custody by a federal agency expired. The federal Enforcement Directorate, controlled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, accused Kejriwal’s party of accepting bribes from liquor contractors nearly two years ago. Kejriwal denied the accusations and will continue as New Delhi’s chief minister while fighting the case in court. His arrest triggered protests and support from other opposition parties, as they see it as part of a crackdown by the government ahead of the national election later this month.
After being remanded to six days of custody by the Enforcement Directorate for investigation, Kejriwal’s detention was extended for another four days before the court ordered judicial custody until April 15. The directorate cited Kejriwal’s non-cooperative conduct as the reason for seeking his judicial custody and mentioned the possibility of seeking further custody for investigation at a later stage. This arrest marks the first time a chief minister in India has been arrested while in office, sparking controversy and accusations of political motives behind the actions of the government.
Opposition parties in India have criticized the government for misusing federal investigation agencies to target and weaken political opponents. This has been evident through a series of raids, arrests, and corruption investigations of key opposition figures. Kejriwal’s arrest is seen as another setback for the opposition bloc and has dominated the news in India leading up to the general election beginning on April 19. The government, however, denies using law enforcement agencies to target the opposition and maintains that the agencies act independently.
Kejriwal has been accused by the federal agency as being the “kingpin and key conspirator” in the liquor bribery case, which he denies, calling it a political conspiracy. Despite skipping nine summonses issued by the Directorate before his arrest, Kejriwal has the right to apply for bail. His deputy and another party lawmaker were also arrested in the same case in 2023 and are currently in judicial custody. The arrest of Kejriwal has led to further tensions between the government and the opposition camp, with the latter criticizing the government’s actions as an attempt to weaken their political influence.
The ongoing saga surrounding Kejriwal’s arrest is indicative of the high-stakes political environment in India leading up to the national election. The opposition bloc has come together to challenge Modi’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party, and Kejriwal’s detainment has garnered significant attention and support from other opposition leaders. Despite the government’s denial of using law enforcement agencies for political purposes, the opposition maintains that the arrest is a clear example of the tyrannical approach taken by the ruling party to suppress dissent and opposition voices. Kejriwal’s legal battle and the broader political implications of his arrest will continue to be a focal point in the upcoming national election.
