Excise policy case: Enforcement Directorate arrests Delhi CM Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal is and will remain the Chief Minister of Delhi, says AAP's Atishi after his arrest

Enforcement Directorate (ED) team, on Thursday, has arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal under an excise policy-linked money laundering case.

According to media reports, a team of 12 ED officials reached Kejriwal's residence this evening to serve him summons, with a search warrant. Kejriwal had earlier skipped multiple summonses of the agency in the case. 

While talking to media after Kejriwal's arrest, AAP's Atishi said, "Arvind Kejriwal is and will remain the Chief Minister of Delhi."

Rapid Action Force (RAF) has also been deployed outside the residence of Delhi CM.

This action by ED came shortly after Delhi High Court refused to grant any interim protection from coercive action to Kejriwal in connection to the ED summonses issued to him in the Delhi liquor policy case. "We are not inclined to grant an interim relief," the high court said, seeking a response from the ED on fresh interim plea.

The bench listed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's application for further consideration on April 22 when his main petition challenging the summons is fixed for hearing, and asked the ED to file its response.

Kejriwal's legal team, this evening, turned to the Supreme Court against the Delhi HC's order. However, according to media reports, the SC won't hear Kejriwal's petition over ED raids before Friday morning. Kejriwal will now appeal to SC on Friday seeking an urgent hearing of his petition for protection from any coercive action by the ED, according to media reports.

Watch: ED arrests Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal