High Court to Deliver Verdict Today on Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest Petition

Arvind Kejriwal's arrest petition verdict to be announced by the Delhi High Court today. He's contesting his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case related to what's called the 'liquor policy scam'. The verdict announcement on Kejriwal's arrest petition is expected at 2:30 pm by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.

Kejriwal, from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has labelled the corruption charges against him as a political plot. He's also contested his ED custody. Currently, he's in judicial custody until April 15, confined in Tihar jail. Today's High Court hearing on Kejriwal's arrest plea will determine the next course of action in this legal battle.

During the April 3 court session, Kejriwal questioned the timing of his arrest. He argued that it unfairly affected the level playing field in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The ED, referring to him as the 'kingpin' of the alleged scam, opposed his petition, emphasising that the law applies equally to everyone, including a chief minister.

The ED's stance is straightforward - if an ordinary person commits a crime, they go to jail, so being a chief minister shouldn't grant immunity. The agency also dismissed Kejriwal's claim of his arrest infringed on the basic structure of the Constitution.

Kejriwal has repeatedly denied any involvement in the alleged scam, stating there's no concrete evidence against him. However, the ED asserts that it has followed the money trail, implicating him.

The central agency arrested Kejriwal on March 21 after the high court refused to shield him from coercive action. This move sparked strong criticism from the opposition. Subsequently, on April 1, he was sent to jail for two weeks following 11 days of ED custody. Legal arguments in Arvind Kejriwal's arrest petition hearing will likely play a crucial role in determining the outcome of this case.

The 'liquor policy' aimed to reform the liquor business in Delhi but was scrapped after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered an investigation into alleged irregularities. The ED alleges that the policy led to significant profits, with bribe money allegedly used to finance AAP's election campaigns.