Legal proceedings against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi government, and the AAP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) are scheduled for hearing in the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court, making Monday a significant day for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition filed by Kejriwal, who is currently under arrest, challenging his detention and subsequent remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to the excise policy case.
In his most recent affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, the AAP leader has denounced his arrest as politically motivated, arguing that it provides an unfair advantage to the ruling party amidst the ongoing elections, thereby undermining the principle of ‘free and fair elections.’ He has depicted the case as a prime example of the central government’s misuse of agencies like the ED to suppress political adversaries, reasserting his position that the actions of the ED are part of a coordinated effort to destabilize the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leaders.
Conversely, the counter-affidavit filed by the Deputy Director of the ED states that Kejriwal’s petition lacks merit and that his arrest was necessitated due to his “total non-cooperative attitude.” The affidavit asserts that Kejriwal has been evading interrogation by failing to appear before the investigating officer despite being summoned nine times and has been evasive and entirely non-cooperative while recording his statement under section 17 of the PMLA.
Furthermore, the Delhi High Court is set to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) regarding the poor state of education in MCD schools. The court was previously informed that nearly two lakh students were deprived of basic amenities due to administrative obstacles. On April 26, the high court severely criticized CM Kejriwal, the Delhi government, and the MCD for their failure to provide textbooks to over 2 lakh students studying in MCD schools in the national capital.
