Apex court seeks ED’s response in Kejriwal’s plea against arrest

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday asked Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file its response to a plea by Arvind Kejriwal countering his arrest in Delhi excise policy case.

The ED has been directed to file the response on or before April 24 alongside filing a rejoinder by April 27 as the court hears the matter on April 29 .

The Delhi High Court earlier on April 15 rejected the jailed Delhi Chief Minister’s plea challenging his arrest saying the central agency had ‘enough material’ to arrest him.

Kejriwal , arrested on March 21 by ED, is currently under judicial custody in Tihar jail.

Calling the arrest ‘illegal’, Kejriwal questioned its timing saying it was “in the middle of the election cycle and especially after the declaration of the schedule of General Elections 2024.”

However, the ED termed Kejriwal the ‘kingpin and key conspirator’ in the alleged excise scam. The kickbacks, the ED alleged, from the deal were used by AAP to fund its poll campaign in Goa.