Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Withdraws His Plea From Supreme Court, To Contest ED Arrest In Trial Court First

Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, has decided to retract a petition filed in the Supreme Court challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the AAP leader, informed the court that instead, they would present arguments opposing the arrest before the judge presiding over the remand proceedings in the trial court.

SC had formed special bench to hear Kejriwal

A special bench of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, had consented to consider his plea challenging his arrest in relation to an investigation into money laundering associated with the Delhi liquor policy scam case.

Earlier on Thursday night, in a post on X, Delhi Minister Atishi said that the AAP legal team was heading to the residence of the Registrar of the Supreme Court to ask for an urgent hearing on CM Kejriwal's plea. Her ministerial colleague Saurabh Bharadwaj posted on X: "Petition has been filed, formalities complete, waiting to hear from Hon'ble SC".

SC did not hold urgent hearing last night

However, the top court did not hold any urgent hearing on Thursday on CM Kejriwal's plea. Earlier on Thursday, a division bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain of the Delhi High Court declined to pass any order granting interim relief to CM Kejriwal at this juncture. Last week, the ED issued the ninth summons to CM Kejriwal in the excise policy case, asking him to appear before it on Thursday. The Chief Minister had moved the high court seeking protection against 'coercive action' by the ED, claiming that there is a clear intent to arrest him and hence he won't appear before the agency.