The Delhi High Court has rejected the plea seeking the removal of Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi’s Chief Minister following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the now scrapped excise policy case.
The petition was filed by one Vishnu Gupta, the president of Hindu Sena alleging that Kejriwal was arrested in connection with an offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is ‘guilty of breach of constitutional trust for allegation of corruption, and consequently his arrest.’
The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh said the petitioner should approach appropriate authority and that the judiciary cannot interfere in this matter. The jury also remarked that at times, personal interest will have to be subordinate to the national interest.
This is the third time that Delhi High Court has squashed a plea seeking the removal of Arvind Kejriwal after his arrest last month over corruption allegations.
In a significant observation, a bench led by acting Chief Justice Manmohan said "let democracy take its own course".
The court stated that it is Kejriwal's personal call to decide whether to continue as the chief minister or not.
Gupta's counsel argued that there is a constitutional deadlock created after Kejriwal's arrest, and as a citizen, he is entitled to have a government.
However, the bench said that courts cannot look into this issue and that the petitioner can raise it before another forum. The bench further clarified that it has not commented on the merits of the proposed representation, which may be filed by the petitioner.
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and was remanded in judicial custody till April 15 by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court.
The opposition has condemned the arrest of a sitting Chief Minister and other senior political leaders, including the Bharat Rashtra Samithi's K Kavitha.
INDIA bloc had also held a mega rally in Ramlila Ground on March 31 in protest of the arrest of Kejriwal and former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren.
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