Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: Police close Delhi's DDU Marg

 Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: AAP ‘concerned’ about Delhi CM's safety

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: The Opposition has thrown its weight behind the AAP leader, accusing PM Modi of ‘dictatorship.’

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: 

In a massive setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Arvind Kejriwal, the party's national convenor and Delhi chief minister, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case on Thursday night. This is the most high-profile arrest in the case, and makes him the first sitting chief minister to be arrested.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal, who had skipped eight ED summons and in the agency's ninth summons, was asked to appear on March 21, moved a plea in the Delhi high court, seeking directions to the central agency to not take any coercive action against him. Though the HC posted the matter to be heard on April 22 next, it did not grant any relief to Kejriwal.

Following the arrest, the AAP staged protests in the national capital; the Opposition too condemned ED's action. While the AAP sought an urgent hearing in the Supreme Court, it was told there will be no midnight hearing. The party, meanwhile, has asked its workers to assemble for a protest outside it headquarters in Delhi's ITO at 10 am on Friday, and stage nationwide demonstrations outside offices of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Also, in what would be a constitutional crisis, the AAP has already declared that its leader will continue to run his government from jail.

Mar 22, 2024 9:58 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: Shashi Tharoor calls on Supreme Court to take suo moto cognisance

What has happened is violative of the spirit of democracy. The court has every right to take imminent action against anything that has a material effect on the elections. This is fundamentally violative of the political rights of every Indian citizen: Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP

Mar 22, 2024 9:42 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: CM's family under house arrest, claims minister Gopal Rai

I came here to meet his family but they have been put under house arrest. Under which law am I being stopped from meeting?: Gopal Rai, Delhi minister

Mar 22, 2024 9:24 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: Worried for his safety, says AAP

For the first time, a sitting CM has been arrested. As CM, he gets Z+ security cover. Now he is the custody of the central ED agency. We are concerned for his safety and security: Atishi, AAP MLA

Mar 22, 2024 9:13 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: AAP's Rakhi Birla detained

Delhi Police detains AAP MLA Rakhi Birla for staging protest outside Kejriwal's residence, in Civil Lines area. Section 144, which prohibits large gatherings, is already in force in the area.

Mar 22, 2024 8:58 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: ITO metro station closed till 6 pm

On Delhi Police's advice, ITO metro station (which is near the AAP's headquarters) will remain closed till 6 pm, informs Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

Mar 22, 2024 8:47 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: Doctors reach ED office for AAP leader's medical

A team of doctors reaches ED headquarters in the national capital to conduct medical examination of Arvind Kejriwal. Later in the day, he will be produced in a PMLA court.

Mar 22, 2024 8:33 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: Will AAP get sympathy in Lok Sabha polls?

While the party and the larger I.N.D.I.A bloc will try to project the chief minister as a victim of the ruling BJP's ‘political vindictiveness,’ it will have to be seen if the arrest generates sympathy for the AAP in the Lok Sabha polls.

To be sure, Delhi, like many other states, has voted differently in state and Lok Sabha polls. While the AAP won 67 and 62 seats (out of total 70) in 2015 and 2020 assembly elections respectively, the BJP won all seven parliamentary segments in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections.

Mar 22, 2024 8:21 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: Security beefed up outside AAP headquarters

Security has been beefed up outside AAP's headquarters in Delhi, ahead of the demonstration called by the party at 10 am.

Mar 22, 2024 8:04 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: Delhi CM's arrest biggest in the case

While several people, both from and not from the AAP, are already in jail in the case, Kejriwal's arrest is easily the biggest in the case. The AAP chief's arrest took place just days after that Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha.

Senior AAP members Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh too are among those arrested, in February and October 2023, respectively.

Mar 22, 2024 7:46 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: BJP-led Centre displaying ‘remarkable nervous,’ says Omar Abdullah

Aisi Taisi Democracy. For all the talk of 400+ seats, the ruling dispensation is displaying a remarkable degree of nervousness. Having a sitting opposition CM arrested by a pliable central agency within days of the general elections being announced is a blot on democracy. JKNC stands with Arvind Kejriwal and AAP: Omar Abdullah, vice president, J&K National Conference

Mar 22, 2024 7:33 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: How I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders reacted?

From calling PM Modi a ‘dictator’ to accusing him of trying to ‘finish off’ democracy in the country, leaders of the opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc – the AAP is among over two dozen constituents of the alliance – extended their full support to their ally, who was arrested on the eve of Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to begin on April 19.

Mar 22, 2024 7:23 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: Who is likely to be Delhi's next CM?

While the party has officially maintained that Kejriwal continue to run the government from Tihar Jail, this would lead to constitutional crisis. Already, former deputy CM Manish Sisodia, the party's number 2 behind the Delhi CM, has been in Tihar since February 2023 in the same case.

Kalkaji MLA Atishi, who holds the maximum number of portfolios in the Delhi government, including the ones vacated by Sisodia, therefore, appears most likely to be the next chief minister.

Mar 22, 2024 7:01 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: ‘Shameful and fatal for democracy,’ says NCP (SCP)

All this is a systematic plan. This (the arrest) is shameful and fatal for democracy because an attempt is being made to suppress the voice of a leader who is speaking against the BJP. Why are you (BJP) targeting only the INDIA alliance? We will fight: Clyde Crasto, spokesperson, NCP (SCP)

Mar 22, 2024 6:40 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: ‘Karma,’ says ex-Congress leader

He & Anna Hazare gang were responsible for making most irresponsible, baseless & wild allegations against Congress including Sheila Dikshit ji saying he had ‘trunk loads’ of evidence against her. No one has seen the ‘trunk’ so far. Karma catches up: Sharmistha Mukherjee

Mar 22, 2024 6:21 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: Rahul speaks to Delhi CM's family, assures Congress' support

As per reports, Rahul Gandhi spoke to the Delhi CM's family and assured Congress' support. The Wayanad MP is likely to meet the AAP chief's kin on Friday and provide legal help.

Mar 22, 2024 6:03 AM IST

Arvind Kejriwal Arrest News Live: AAP to hold nationwide protests today

Singed by the ED arresting its national convenor, the party will hold nationwide arrests on Friday outside the BJP's offices. In the national capital, AAP workers have been asked to assemble outside its national headquarters at ITO at 10 am.