NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party got here to energy in Delhi on the promise of offering corruption-free governance, has now been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in reference to the excise coverage case. Following his arrest on Thursday by the central company after two hours of questioning, the 55-year-old AAP nationwide convener grew to become the primary sitting chief minister to have been arrested in a felony case. The ED’s transfer got here hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant Kejriwal safety from the central company’s coercive motion.
Arrest Amidst Election SeasonÂ
Kejriwal’s arrest by the central probe company comes at a politically delicate juncture, simply earlier than the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. His evasion of 9 consecutive summons by the ED solely served to accentuate scrutiny on the matter.
Allegations Of Corruption And Money Laundering
The case revolves round alleged corruption and cash laundering associated to the formulation and execution of Delhi’s excise coverage for the fiscal 12 months 2021-22, a coverage that was subsequently scrapped. Notably, outstanding AAP figures like Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are already in judicial custody as a part of the identical investigation. Despite mounting strain and public outcry, Kejriwal’s shut aides, together with Delhi Minister Aatishi and Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goyal, affirmed his resolve to proceed governing as Delhi CM, even from behind bars. This unprecedented scenario raises questions concerning the stability of governance within the capital metropolis amidst the continued authorized battle.
Historical Precedents: Ex-Chief Ministers Who Faced Legal Battles
Hemant Soren
Hemant Soren, the previous Chief Minister of Jharkhand, discovered himself embroiled in an unlawful land acquisition case resulting in his arrest on January 31. However, he resigned earlier than his arrest, passing the mantle to a different social gathering member. The allegations in opposition to him included falsification of land information.
J Jayalalithaa
The late AIADMK stalwart confronted a number of arrests and convictions, notably in 1996 for corruption in a TV set buy scheme and later in 2014 in a high-profile disproportionate property case. Jayalalithaa additionally grew to become the primary CM to have been convicted in a disproportionate property case by a Bengaluru court docket, leading to her disqualification as an MLA and lack of the CM’s put up.
Lalu Prasad Yadav
A two-term Bihar CM, Lalu Prasad Yadav confronted repeated arrests, primarily in reference to the fodder rip-off and allegations of amassing disproportionate property. He acquired an arrest warrant in 1997 throughout his tenure as CM, resulting in his resignation and subsequent judicial custody. Since then, he has confronted a number of authorized battles, together with the continued probe into the alleged cash-for-jobs rip-off.
Chandrababu Naidu
The TDP chief confronted accusations of monetary irregularities throughout his tenure as Andhra Pradesh CM, resulting in his arrest in 2023. Allegations centred round misappropriation of funds from the Skill Development Corporation, leading to important losses to the state exchequer.
Om Prakash Chautala
Former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala confronted a corruption scandal pertaining to lecturers’ recruitment within the early 2000s. In 2013, he and his son confronted convictions on a number of counts, together with dishonest and forgery, leading to each receiving 10-year jail phrases. Despite pursuing appeals, their convictions remained upheld by each the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court in 2015.
Madhu Koda
Jharkhand’s ex-CM confronted imprisonment for corruption costs associated to mining contracts throughout his tenure. Koda was implicated in a mining scandal, accused of accepting bribes in alternate for granting mining contracts. He and his associates allegedly amassed over Rs 4,000 crore by means of unlawful routes. His arrest got here a 12 months after his tenure led to 2008, and he confronted additional convictions in 2017.
