New Delhi/IBNS: The Delhi High Court on Thursday rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the removal of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in the Enforcement Directorate (ED)s custody in connection with the liquor scam case, from the Chief Ministers post.
A division bench has said there is no provision in the law to bar Kejriwal from continuing as the Chief Minister even if he is arrested.
If there is a constitutional failure, President or Governor will act on it…Is there any scope for judicial interference in this? The LG is examining the issue. It will go to the President. It belongs to a different wing. There is no scope for judicial interference in this, the court said as quoted by Live Law.
Kejriwal has become the first serving Chief Minister to be arrested and is the third senior leader from the party to be arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam.
The arrest last week followed hours after a team from the ED questioned him at his residence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The ED has named Kejriwal as a key conspirator in this case.
However, the Chief Minister and his party colleagues arrested in this matter – ex-Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and former Health Minister Satyendar Jain – have all denied the charges.
Kejriwal had previously skipped nine summons issued by the ED in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.
Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested in connection with the case in February last year, and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was taken into custody in October.
Kejriwals arrest has triggered a slugfest between the countrys ruling BJP and opposition parties.
While BJP accuses Kejriwal of corruption, the opposition parties have rallied behind AAP in supporting Kejriwal and questioning the timing of the arrest as the Lok Sabha polls have already been announced.
