Shashi Tharoor calls upon Supreme Court to take suo moto cognizance of Kejriwal's arrest

THIRUVANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor condemned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to the excise police, calling the Supreme Court to take suo moto cognizance in the matter. Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader said, "I call upon the Supreme Court to take Suo Motu cognizance on what has happened... What has happened is violative of the spirit of democracy."

"The court has every right to take imminent action against anything that has a material effect on the elections... This is fundamentally violative of the political rights of every Indian citizen... We will hold a march to the Raj Bhawan..." he further said. Meanwhile, AAP workers and leaders rallied behind Kejriwal following his arrest while leaders of the INDIA bloc also expressed their support for the AAP leader. BJP leaders backed ED action against Delhi Chief Minister saying "truth had to prevail".

Several AAP leaders, including Delhi Minister Atishi detained amid protests against Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. Congress leader KC Venugopal said, "We are with Aam Aadmi Party and Kejriwal ji...EC has become a weapon of the government for vendetta politics against the opposition. They (BJP) know they can't win on their own, so they are doing vendetta politics against opposition leaders. This is a move to make India an autocratic country."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be produced before a special court on Friday. The police bolstered security at the ITO near the Aam Aadmi Party office in Delhi, following the arrest of the Delhi CM in a liquor policy case. Earlier, NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and NCP-SCP leader and MP Supriya Sule also condemned the arrest of Kejriwal by the ED in the excise policy case on Thursday.

Taking to X, Sharad Pawar said, "Strongly condemn the vindictive misuse of central agencies to target the opposition, especially as general elections loom. 'INDIA' stands united against this unconstitutional action against Arvind Kejriwal."