just ahead of India’s upcoming general elections starting on April 19 , The leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, Arvind Kejriwal, was taken into custody late on Thursday at his home in New Delhi, where hundreds of protesters had gathered to protest his arrest by the federal financial crime agency.
Mr. Kejriwal, who is also the chief minister of the national capital region of New Delhi, was arrested on allegations of corruption involving the city’s liquor policy. His party’s leaders say the charges are fraudulent.
An Indian court extended the detention of Mr. Kejriwal until April 1, local media reported.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Kejriwal, asserts that the charges are fabricated and politically motivated, while the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi denies any political influence, asserting that law enforcement agencies are operating independently.
Kejriwal, along with other AAP leaders, faced imprisonment before his arrest. Describing his detention as a “political conspiracy,” Kejriwal, aged 55, stated outside the court that “the public will respond to this.”
Meanwhile, during court proceedings, he accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the agency responsible for his arrest, of targeting AAP. ED lawyers argued for an extension of Kejriwal’s custody, citing his alleged lack of cooperation.
His arrest has incited protests in the national capital and neighboring state of Punjab, both governed by AAP, with several party supporters detained as they demanded his release by marching towards Modi’s residence.
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