SC issues notice to ED on CM Kejriwal's plea against arrest

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on a plea filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest and subsequent remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case.

Agreeing to examine the matter, a bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna asked the federal anti-money laundering agency to file its reply by April 24.

The Bench, also comprising Justice Dipankar Datta, allowed the petitioner side to file a rejoinder affidavit, if any, by April 27 to the reply filed by ED.

The matter will be taken up next on April 29 for further hearing.

Last week, a Bench presided over by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud agreed to urgently list CM Kejriwal's petition. “Please send an email. I'll look into it,” CJI Chandrachud told senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared on behalf of CM Kejriwal and mentioned the matter for urgent hearing.

CM Kejriwal has approached the Supreme Court challenging the dismissal of his plea by the Delhi High Court. Earlier, a bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the High Court took note of the ED's submission that the federal anti-money laundering agency had enough material, including statements from approvers and allegations of involvement in the formulation of the excise policy, which had led them to arrest him.

It said, "The files and material placed before us reveal that the mandate of law was followed by the ED. The trial court order is not a two-line order. The statements with ED are of hawala dealers as well as AAP candidates in Goa elections."

Immediately after he was taken into custody by the ED on March 21, CM Kejriwal moved the apex court seeking an urgent late-night hearing on his petition. But the very next day, before a special Bench of the Supreme Court could commence hearing the matter, he withdrew his plea and decided to contest remand proceedings before the trial court.