MEA Summons US Diplomat Over Remark On Kejriwal's Arrest, Says 'Fellow Democracies Expected To Be...'

The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday summoned the US' Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena over Washington's remark on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and also raised "strong objection"

US' Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena was seen at the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting is said to have lasted for approximately 40 minutes.

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on March 21 in the Delhi excise or liquor policy case. Arvind Kejriwal is in ED custody till March 28.

Allegations are that Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by AAP.

Reacting to Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, the US government on Tuesday said they are "closely monitoring" his arrest and encourage a "fair, transparent, and timely legal process".

"We encourage a fair, transparent, and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal," news agency Reuters quoted a US State Department spokesperson as saying.

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The US government's reaction comes after India summoned a senior diplomat of the German Embassy to lodge its protest over the country's comments on Arvind Kejriwal's arrest.

MEA Reacts To US's Statement On Kejriwal's Arrest

The Ministry of External Affairs later issued a statement and said, "We take strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India."

"In diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others. This responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents," MEA said in the statement.

"India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted," MEA added.