Arvind Kejriwal Issues First Govt Order From ED Custody

In line with Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) assertion that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be running government from jail, the leader on Sunday issued his first order from Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody.

Through a note, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal issued an order for the Water Department, asking minister Atishi to hold a press conference. Atishi later, in a press briefing, confirmed that Delhi CM Kejriwal from ED custody directed for deploying enough water tankers in areas facing scarcity.

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Sharing Arvind Kejriwal's message, Atishi said even in such a situation, he is not thinking about himself but the people of Delhi and their problems.

"Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has issued his first direction from ED custody. The directions were issued to me, the Water Minister. This brought tears to my eyes. How can a person - who has been arrested - think about the people of Delhi in such a difficult period?" said Delhi Minister Atishi.

Arvind Kejriwal (55) was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from his official residence on Thursday. On Friday, he was produced in a court, which sent him to the agency's custody till March 28.

Arvind Kejriwal's AAP has maintained that the leader will continue to run the Delhi government from jail if he has not been proven guilty. On Saturday, Punjab CM and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann said: "If he has not been proven guilty, he can run the government from jail. And as for election campaigning, it will be the promotion of Kejriwal's ideology. Every candidate [in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls] and every volunteer will campaign as Kejriwal."

Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest

The ED arrested Arvind Kejriwal on March 21, hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the federal anti-money laundering agency.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader had earlier approached the court for quashing and setting aside all proceedings, including summonses, issued against him.

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In that petition, Kejriwal said he is a "vocal critic" of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, an opposition leader and a partner in the INDIA bloc, and the ED, being under the Union government's control, has been "weaponised".

The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 that was later scrapped. Top AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in the case.

Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in the chargesheets filed by the ED, which had also summoned him multiple times.

The ED has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal for formulating the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits to them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the AAP.