Delhi CM Kejriwal opts against urgent hearing on protection plea in Supreme Court

Delhi Cabinet minister Atishi on Thursday (Mar 21)said Arvind Kejriwal will continue as the chief minister and run the city government from prison if needed after his arrest by the ED in an excise policy-linked money laundering case.

She also said that the Aam Aadmi Party has moved the Supreme Court against the action by the federal agency.

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"We have always said that Arvind Kejriwal will run the government from jail. He will remain the CM of Delhi. We have filed a case in the Supreme Court. Our lawyers are reaching the Supreme Court. We will demand SC have an urgent hearing tonight," she said.

Earlier, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi had said, "Arvind Kejriwal will not seek an urgent hearing on plea for protection in SC tonight."

Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Kejriwal's attorneys, argued that although multiple charge sheets had already been filed with the trial court, it was unnecessary to arrest the chief minister because there was an attempt to create a "non-level playing field" for the upcoming general elections.

Last week, the ED issued a summons to Kejriwal, asking him to appear before it on Thursday. The law enforcement agency issued a total of nine summonsto Kejriwal, which were on November 2, December 22, January 3, January 18, February 2, February 19, February 26, March 4 and March 21.

The officials said the agency team went to the chief minister's residence to serve him summons in the case. The team also informed the staff at the chief minister's residence that it had a search warrant.