Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest Plea Awaits Hearing, No Special SC Bench Setup

New Delhi, March 21 - In a significant development, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an excise policy-linked money laundering case. This move came shortly after the Delhi High Court declined to offer him protection from arrest. Despite the urgency of the situation, no special Supreme Court bench was convened on Thursday night to address Kejriwal's plea against his detention. It is anticipated that the plea will be heard on Friday.

The arrest of Kejriwal, marking the first instance of a sitting chief minister being detained, followed a series of rapid events. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sought immediate intervention from the Supreme Court late Thursday evening after the ED's decisive action. The law enforcement agency escorted Kejriwal to its headquarters located in central Delhi.

Earlier in the day, a 10-member team from the ED, led by an additional director, arrived at Kejriwal's official Flagstaff Road residence in Civil Lines following the high court's verdict. The team conducted searches at his premises and, after more than two hours, proceeded to arrest him. According to sources, before his arrest, Kejriwal was briefly questioned by the ED officials, and some items were seized during their operation.

The sequence of events unfolded rapidly after the Delhi High Court refused to grant Kejriwal protection from any coercive action by the ED. This legal setback for Kejriwal prompted the AAP to move the Supreme Court in an attempt to challenge his arrest. However, as of Thursday night, there was no indication that a special bench had been established to hear his plea, which did not appear in the apex court's list of business for Friday.

This development has sparked considerable attention and is likely to have significant political ramifications. The arrest of a sitting chief minister on charges related to money laundering is an unprecedented event and underscores the seriousness with which the ED is pursuing allegations linked to the excise policy case.