India Summons US Diplomat Over Kejriwal Arrest Remark, Sends Strong Message To US

The Ministry of External Affairs' office in Delhi's South Block summoned the United States' Acting Deputy Chief of Mission for a 40-minute meeting on Wednesday.

The details of the meeting have not been disclosed. However, this action followed a statement by a US State Department spokesperson, who mentioned that reports of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest are being monitored, urging New Delhi to ensure "a fair and timely legal process" for the jailed Aam Aadmi Party leader, reported ANI.

India Summons US Diplomat

In response to the US State Department's comments, it was noted that Germany's Foreign Office had emphasized that Mr. Kejriwal, like any other Indian citizen facing charges, is entitled to a fair and impartial trial.

The comment was strongly reacted to by the Indian government, with the German envoy being summoned and the Foreign Office spokesperson's remark labelled as "blatant interference in internal matters". Such remarks were perceived as interfering in the judicial process and undermining the independence of the judiciary by the External Affairs Ministry. It was emphasized that biased assumptions are considered most unwarranted, as reported by NDTV.

When questioned about India's protest to Germany, Reuters was informed by the State Department spokesperson to refer to the German Foreign Ministry for comments on their discussions with the Indian government.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last week in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam that has stirred controversy within his AAP and triggered vehement protests from the opposition ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Kejriwal was sent to jail till March 28 earlier this week.

The Enforcement Directorate believes that the now-scrapped liquor policy provided an impossibly high-profit margin of 185 per cent for retailers and 12 per cent for wholesalers. It is alleged that six per cent of the wholesaler's profit, amounting to over ₹ 600 crore, constituted bribes, which were purportedly used to fund the AAP's election campaigns, reported NDTV.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal is in the Delhi High Court today to challenge his arrest. The Chief Minister has been labelled as a key conspirator in this case by the ED, but Kejriwal and other party colleagues arrested in this matter - former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and former Health Minister Satyendar Jain - have all denied the charges.

Both the AAP and the opposition have criticized the BJP-led central government for allegedly utilizing central agencies, such as the ED, to target rivals and critics before the general election. The AAP has condemned Kejriwal's arrest, arguing that it was timed to disrupt his plans to campaign for the party. However, the BJP has refuted claims of using central agencies as described by the opposition, as per media reports.