Politics: Kejriwal’s Surprise Move

In the high chambers of the Supreme Court, the legal representative of Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, conveyed the decision to retract the legal plea contesting the arrest by the Enforcement Directorate concerning the Delhi excise policy scandal. A M Singhvi, a seasoned legal advocate, alongside advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for Kejriwal, informed a judicial bench presided over by Justice Khanna of this withdrawal. Singhvi elucidated that his client had opted to withdraw the petition due to its conflict with the ongoing judicial custody. He articulated that Kejriwal intended to confront the judicial custody before readdressing the apex court, thus avoiding a sequential string of legal proceedings.

Justice Khanna, in response, sanctioned the absence of Kejriwal’s legal representation in the current proceedings, indicating their liberty to attend to other matters. Singhvi assured the court of providing formal notification of the withdrawal through the appropriate channels for judicial expediency. Farasat, in correspondence with ETV Bharat, affirmed their intent to present arguments during the impending judicial custody proceedings before the trial court.

Earlier on the same day, the Supreme Court acceded to entertain Kejriwal’s petition contesting his apprehension by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an excise policy-related money laundering investigation. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, advocating on behalf of Kejriwal, expedited the listing of the matter before a bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud. Justice Chandrachud directed Singhvi to pursue the matter before a specialized three-judge panel convened under Justice Sanjiv Khanna, thereby steering the legal process.

Singhvi hastened to Justice Khanna’s court, only to find that the dedicated three-judge panel, inclusive of Justices MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi, had already adjourned after addressing another legal dispute involving BRS leader K Kavitha’s challenge against her arrest related to the Delhi excise policy scandal and the statutory implications of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Acknowledging the circumstance, a two-judge bench under the leadership of Justice Sanjiv Khanna directed Singhvi to await the formation of the aforementioned three-judge panel designated to hear Arvind Kejriwal’s case.

The Enforcement Directorate’s twelve-member contingent executed the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal at his domicile situated in the North Delhi precinct of Civil Lines. This intervention followed promptly after the High Court’s dismissal of Kejriwal’s plea for safeguarding against coercive measures in the context of the excise policy-linked money laundering investigation.