Arvind Kejriwal’s Trial Should Be Fair and Impartial, Says German Govt
Kejriwal Challenges Arrest, Accuses Delhi Police Officer of Misconduct
Newsreel Asia Insight #170
March 24, 2024
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, recently arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case tied to an alleged liquor policy scam, has contested his arrest in the Delhi High Court. Meanwhile, the German government commented on the situation, which led to a formal protest from India.
After Kejriwal, of the Aam Aadmi Party, was arrested on the night of March 21, a trial court remanded him to ED custody until March 28. The AAP’s legal team contends that the arrest and subsequent remand are unlawful, demanding Kejriwal’s immediate release.
The arrest came after Kejriwal failed to respond to nine summons from the ED, leading to his urgent legal actions, including a plea in the Delhi High Court challenging the arrest and remand. This plea seeks an expedited hearing due to the perceived illegality of the actions against him, as reported by Live Law.
Kejriwal has raised allegations against a Delhi police officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police A.K. Singh, accusing him of misconduct, as reported by NDTV. The claim follows a previous incident where Singh allegedly manhandled Manish Sisodia, the former deputy chief minister, at a court in Delhi.
Kejriwal’s accusations were formalised in an application submitted to the Rouse Avenue Court, demanding the officer’s exclusion from his security detail. The application alleges a pattern of unprofessional behaviour by Singh.
The incident reportedly occurred when Kejriwal was escorted to court for a hearing on the agency’s remand application. During this process, Singh is said to have acted inappropriately towards Kejriwal, although the specifics of the misconduct have not been disclosed.
The ED’s allegations against Kejriwal involve a conspiracy in the excise policy, purportedly to benefit certain private entities with a 12 percent wholesale business profit, a claim not supported by the official minutes of the Group of Ministers’ meetings. The agency accuses Vijay Nair and others, allegedly acting for Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, of orchestrating this scheme to provide undue profit margins to wholesalers.
In response to these legal proceedings, the German Foreign Ministry has remarked on Kejriwal’s arrest. The spokesperson of the German Foreign Ministry emphasised India’s democratic nature, expressing the expectation that judicial independence and democratic principles will be upheld in the case concerning Kejriwal, The Hindu reported.
The remarks led to the summoning of the German deputy chief of mission, Georg Enzweiler, by Indian officials. India expressed strong objections to what it termed “interference” in its judicial processes, as reported by India Today.
Germany has been promoting the teaching of the German language and literature in Indian schools, leading to a partnership with the Delhi Board of School Education (DBSE) under the AAP government, The Hindu noted.
In 2022, an agreement was signed with the Goethe-Institut, enabling German language learning in Delhi’s government-run schools. This agreement was signed by the then German Ambassador Walter J. Lindner and Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who highlighted the cultural and job opportunities this initiative would bring to students. Additionally, French and Japanese languages are also taught in several Delhi government schools.
Sisodia was arrested in February 2023 in connection with the alleged excise policy scam.