Page 42 - Delhi Government

BJP will pay the price for misuse of power: Pawar on Kejriwal's arrest

Sharad Pawar, who heads the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar, on Friday condemned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate, saying the BJP will have to pay the price for the misuse of power. Speaking to reporters at Baramati in Maharashtra's Pune district, Pawar said he is confident people will show their collective power in the elections the way they had demonstrated during Emergency. Referring to Kejriwal's arrest, Pawar (83) said federal agencies are being misused to suppress the voice of the Opposition. The ED on Thursday arrested Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party, in an excise policy-linked money laundering case, triggering criticism from opposition INDIA bloc leaders. Congress' bank accounts have been frozen. As the accounts are frozen, their financial management for an election campaign has been hit. It shows that there is an attempt to stop the grand old party from using its resources fo

PIL in Delhi HC seeks removal of Arvind Kejriwal as CM following arrest

A PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court on Friday seeking AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal's removal from the post of chief minister following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in an excise policy-linked money laundering case. According to court sources, the petition has some defects and will be listed for hearing once these are cured. In his petition, Surjit Singh Yadav demanded that the Centre, Delhi government and the principal secretary to the lieutenant governor be asked to explain under what authority Kejriwal is holding the post of chief minister. The petitioner also sought Kejriwal's removal. The plea said Kejriwal has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam and referred to the Delhi High Court's decision not to grant interim protection to him from coercive action in the case. The ED has produced Kejriwal in a court and sought his 10-day custody. The hearing is underway.

Kejriwal once raised his voice against liquor: Social activist Anna Hazare

Social activist Anna Hazare, who had a decade ago become the face of the anti-corruption movement, Friday said he had warned Arvind Kejriwal, arrested in the excise policy case, to stay away from making such a policy. Hazare, who spearheaded the Lokpal movement in the early 2010s along with Kejriwal, said the Delhi chief minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate because of his own deeds. I had told him that our job is not to make excise policy. Even a small child knows that liquor is bad. I had asked him to stay away from this (excise policy) issue. But he went ahead and made the policy, Hazare said, speaking to PTI at his village Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra. He thought that he will earn more money and that is why he made this policy. I felt sad and wrote to him twice. I felt sad that a person like Kejriwal, who once worked with me and raised our voice against alcohol, is now making the excise policy. He got arrested due to his deeds. Had he not done anything, there ..

No bar in law on arrested person from continuing as CM: Legal experts

Arvind Kejriwal can continue as Delhi chief minister post his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in an excise policy-linked money laundering case with legal experts on Friday saying there is no bar under the law which prohibits an arrested person from holding the post. Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on Thursday hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant him protection from any coercive action by the central probe agency. While senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan said there is no bar in law on a person continuing as chief minister once arrested, senior advocate Vikas Singh said though legally there is no bar, administratively it will be next to impossible. Kejriwal has not tender his resignation from the post of the chief minister. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said he will continue as the chief minister of Delhi and if need be, he will run the government from jail. On being asked about whether Kejriwal can continue as chief minister post his arrest, Sankaranarayanan said,

Kejriwal's continuation as CM insult to people, corrupt belong in jail: BJP

The BJP on Friday lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party for its assertion that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will run the government from jail, saying it is an insult to people, law and democracy. Union minister Anurag Thakur asked if Kejriwal considers himself above law while BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused AAP leaders of peddling lies on the issue and asserted that those involved in corruption will go to jail. The BJP derided the support extended to the chief minister by opposition leaders as a show of brotherhood among thieves. Several BJP leaders recalled Kejriwal's claim of probity and past allegations of corruption against politicians, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar among others, while seeking their arrest, as they claimed that he has been exposed now. Thakur said he ignored nine summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and refused to join the probe. "Does he think he is above law," the Union minister asked. His decision to continue as chief

SC refuses bail to K Kavitha in ED case related to Delhi excise policy scam

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to grant bail to BRS leader K Kavitha, who has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi excise policy scam case. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi asked Kavitha to approach the trial court, saying it is a practice which this court is following and cannot bypass the protocol. The bench said as far as Kavitha's plea challenging the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is concerned, the court is issuing notice to the ED and seeking its response in six weeks. The petition challenging the provisions will come up with the pending matters, the bench told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Kavitha. At the outset, Sibal said that people are being arrested on the basis of an approver's statement. The bench said it is not going into the merit of the case at the moment. Kavitha has moved the top court challenging her arrest by the ED in connection with the Delhi excise policy .

Delhi Assembly cancels scheduled sitting; next session set for March 27

Kajriwal, the AAP National Convenor was arrested on Thursday evening in a money laundering case related to an alleged liquor policy scam

Supreme Court bench set to hear Arvind Kejriwal's plea against arrest

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court will on Friday hear Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in an excise policy-linked money laundering case. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud. The CJI asked Singhvi to mention his plea before a bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna. Singhvi then rushed to Justice Khanna's court and mentioned the matter. Justice Khanna said Kejriwal's plea would be heard by a three-judge bench which will assemble in a while. Kejriwal had moved the Supreme Court late Thursday after the ED arrested him.

Security tightened near BJP HQ as AAP workers plan to protest today

Delhi Police on Friday morning beefed up up security with heavy personnel deployment and multi-layer barricading on roads leading to BJP headquarters where AAP leaders and workers will stage protest against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Paramilitary personnel in anti-riot gears have have also been deployed to maintain law and order situation in the area. The traffic police have requested commuters to avoid routes leading to central Delhi in the anticipation of huge gathering of AAP workers. Roads leading to the BJP headquarters and ED office in central Delhi have been closed. AAP leaders have asked party workers to reach the BJP headquarters and commence a protest at 10 am on Friday against Kejriwal's arrest. Sources in the AAP said all Delhi MLAs and councillors have been asked to mobilise people at BJP headquarters and the party expects that a large number of people would be out on the streets to protest the arrest of Kejriwal. Checking has been intensified at t

ED to produce Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal before court in excise policy case

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to be produced before a special PMLA court here by the ED on Friday for obtaining his remand for custodial interrogation in the money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22, officials said. The 55-year-old politician, also the national convenor and chief of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was arrested by the federal probe agency after searches at his official residence at Flagstaff Road in Civil Lines area of the national capital on Thursday. A team of doctors and medics were seen entering the ED office in central Delhi in the morning where Kejriwal has been housed after the arrest. The hospital staff is understood to have been called by the ED for conducting a basic medical checkup of the politician before he is taken to the court. The ED may seek a 10-day custody of Kejriwal from the court alleging his continued "non-cooperation" in the investigation and to ascertain his personal rol

AAP accuses Mumbai police of high-handedness during party's protest

The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday accused the Mumbai police of high-handedness while they were protesting in the early hours against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). AAP's Maharashtra president Preeti Sharma Menon said their workers were shoved and beaten and women were detained in the night. She alleged some of the workers were even punched. Unbelievable police brutality today. @AAPMumbai was dragged, beaten, punched while protesting against the unlawful arrest of Arvind Kejriwal by Modi's ED," Menon tweeted. The ED arrested Kejriwal, who is also the national convenor of AAP, in an excise policy-linked money laundering case on Thursday night and took him to the agency's headquarters here, officials said. The arrest, the first of a sitting chief minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the agency. The 55-year-old leader's arrest, amid camp

From crusader to liquor 'scam' accused: Kejriwal's arrest big blow to AAP

An IIT graduate, Kejriwal first led AAP to form the government in Delhi in 2013 with outside support from the Congress

AAP leader Gopal Rai calls for nationwide protest against Kejriwal's arrest

The AAP's Delhi unit convenor Gopal Rai gave a call on Thursday for a nationwide protest against the BJP following Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Rai said Kejriwal's arrest is the "murder of democracy" and an "announcement of dictatorship". The ED arrested Kejriwal in an excise policy-linked money-laundering case on Thursday evening and took him to the agency's headquarters here, officials said. The arrest, the first of a sitting chief minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the federal agency. "I appeal to the countrymen to protest outside BJP offices across the country against this dictatorship. We will gather at the AAP office at 10 am on Friday and then protest outside the BJP headquarters," Rai, a minister in the Delhi government, said. "If Kejriwal can be arrested, anyone can be arrested and their voice can be suppressed. From today, the

Kejriwal will continue to work as Delhi CM, to run govt from jail: AAP

Arvind Kejriwal will continue as the Delhi chief minister, the AAP said soon after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday evening in an excise policy-linked money-laundering case. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also alleged that the ED has become a "political tool" of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre. Kejriwal's arrest, the first of a sitting chief minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the agency. "He will continue as the chief minister of Delhi. If need be, he will run the government from jail. There is no rule that stops him from running the government from jail since he has not been convicted," Delhi minister Atishi told reporters. The AAP alleged a "huge conspiracy" behind Kejriwal's arrest ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. In a post in Hindi on X, the party said: "Hold the torches of revolution. The time has come for total revolution. The dictatorial

Delhi govt develops portal for licensing cab aggregators, e-commerce cos

The Delhi government has developed a portal to facilitate licensing, payment of fees and regulate cab aggregators, delivery service providers and e-commerce entities. The Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme - 2023 was notified by the government last year. Service providers and e-commerce entities with more than 25 vehicles in their fleet will have to register on the portal to obtain a licence. "All licence holders are requested to register their existing fleets operating in the NCT of Delhi. All existing aggregator and delivery service providers operating within the NCT of Delhi shall obtain a licence within a period of 90 days," according to a public notice issued by the Transport department. The notice was uploaded on the department's website on Friday. The department's dashboard to monitor the progress of the scheme can be accessed at myfleet.delhi.gov.in. The licences will be valid for five years. The scheme mandates service providers to ensur

BRS MLC K Kavitha produced before Delhi court in excise policy case

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday produced arrested BRS leader K Kavitha before a court here in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. The agency produced the Telangana Legislative Council member before Special Judge M K Nagpal, who is likely to take up the matter shortly. "We will fight it (case) out in court," the BRS leader told media persons while being produced before the court. She was arrested by the central probe agency from her residence at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad last evening and brought to Delhi.

Delhi court grants bail to CM Kejriwal in case of skipping ED summons

A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in two complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate against him for skipping summons in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra also allowed Kejriwal to leave the courtroom. "Offence being bailable, accused Arvind Kejriwal is admitted to bail," it said. The court further directed the ED to hand over documents related to the complaints to Kejriwal. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed two complaints before the magisterial court, seeking Kejriwal's prosecution for skipping multiple summonses issued to him in the case. The latest complaint pertains to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor not honouring summonses no. 4 to 8 sent by the federal probe agency under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had earlier moved the magisterial court seeking Kejriwal's prosecution

Delhi Cabinet gives nod to extend electric vehicle policy till June

The Delhi Cabinet on Friday approved the extension of Electric Vehicle policy till June this year. All current incentives and subsidies remain intact, and any vehicles purchased from January 1 onwards will be eligible for the benefits under this extension, a Delhi government statement said. The Delhi EV policy has been extended till June 30 or until the notification of Delhi EV policy 2.0, whichever is earlier, it added. The decision to extend the policy was taken in a Cabinet meeting on Friday. Comments and suggestions from various stakeholders are currently being considered for inclusion in the upcoming Delhi EV Policy 2.0, the statement said. Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said, "The extension of the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy underscores our dedication to fostering a sustainable and eco-friendly transport ecosystem in the capital. Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, we are committed to making Delhi a leader in electric mobility at globa

Hindu, Sikh refugees protest against Kejriwal over his comments against CAA

Hindu and Sikh refugees living in various parts of Delhi staged a protest near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Civil Lines residence here on Thursday, demanding an apology from him over his statements against the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The protesters assembled near the Chandgiram Akhara and attempted to march towards Kejriwal's bungalow, but were stopped by police. "The Narendra Modi government is giving us citizenship while Kejriwal is asking who will give us jobs and houses. He does not understand our pain," said Panjuram, one of the protesters. The protesters said Kejriwal should withdraw his statements against the CAA and refugees and tender an apology. Hindu and Sikh refugees living in Rohini, Adarsh Nagar, near Signature Bridge and Majnu ka Tilla took part in the protest. At a press conference on Wednesday, Kejriwal alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to settle poor people hailing from minority communities in Afghanistan, ..

Excise policy scam case: Kejriwal moves sessions court challenging summons

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has moved a sessions court here challenging the summons issued to him by a lower court on two complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate for evading its summons in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam. Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Syal is likely to hear Kejriwal's applications later in the day. Kejriwal moved the sessions court against orders passed by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra, who has directed Kejriwal to appear before the court on March 16. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed two complaints before the magisterial court seeking prosecution of Kejriwal for skipping multiple summons issued to him in the case. The latest complaint pertains to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor not honouring summons number four to eight sent by the federal probe agency under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED said. The ED had earlier moved the ...