HC upholds CBI arrest of Kejriwal: BJP says verdict proves CM’s role, AAP to move apex court

Delhi BJP claims high court judgment implicates Kejriwal in scam, demands resignation. AAP to challenge verdict in Supreme Court, citing technicalities.

New Delhi

Arvind Kejriwal in CBI custody in July. (PTI)

After the Delhi high court disposed of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging the legality of his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a case of alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped excise policy of 2021-22, Delhi BJP said the judgment “made it clear” that Kejriwal “played a major role” in the scam and was the mastermind of it. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), meanwhile, said they will challenge the high court judgment in the Supreme Court.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said: “The high court’s decision has clarified that Arvind Kejriwal and his party have been looting Delhi, a fact that the BJP has been consistently stating.”

“It is necessary for Arvind Kejriwal to resign from his position for the smooth administrative functioning and for the service of the people of Delhi. The government of Delhi has become paralysed and all administrative system has come to a standstill, and Kejriwal’s insistence on running the government from jail has resulted in zero governance in Delhi,” Sachdeva said.

The AAP hit back, saying the BJP was trying to mislead the public.

In a statement, the AAP said: “The petition before the high court was challenging certain technical aspects of the law, as to non-compliance by prosecution of certain legal provisions. The CBI case has not been decided on merits. We respectfully disagree with the HC and will challenge it before the Supreme Court.”