India Protests Germany's Remark On Arvind Kejriwal; MEA Summons German DCM

The German deputy chief of mission was summoned by India to protest against the position taken by the German foreign ministry on the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, with India asserting that this amounted to interference in the country's judicial process.

Arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday for his alleged role in Delhi's controversial excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped, Arvind Kejriwal saw the German foreign ministry respond to the arrest on Friday, stating that Kejriwal, like all accused, is entitled to a fair and impartial trial.

India Protests German Comments on Arvind Kejriwal's Case

The German deputy chief of mission, Georg Enzweiler, was summoned to India's external affairs ministry, where India conveyed a strong protest regarding the comments made by the German Foreign Office spokesperson on India's internal affairs.

According to the statement issued by the external affairs ministry, India views such remarks as interference in its judicial process and as undermining the independence of its judiciary. The ministry emphasized India's status as a vibrant democracy with the rule of law, asserting that the legal process would proceed independently, as in any democratic nation.

During a regular media briefing on Friday, German foreign ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer was asked about Arvind Kejriwal's case, with a mention of India's opposition parties perceiving his arrest as politically motivated. Fischer acknowledged Germany's awareness of the case and emphasized India's democratic status. He stated that India's judiciary should operate independently, ensuring fair and impartial trials for all accused individuals, including Kejriwal.

India has previously rejected comments from the German foreign ministry regarding internal developments, including the arrest of rights activists. The case against Kejriwal involves allegations of corruption and money laundering related to the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was subsequently annulled.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that leaders from Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) received kickbacks amounting to ₹100 crore about the excise policy. Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in charge sheets filed by the ED, which alleges that the accused were in contact with Kejriwal during the formulation of the excise policy.