Arvind Kejriwal questions arrest following PM Modi's remarks: 'Why was I arrested?

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent interview remarks suggest the Delhi excise policy scam case against him was unfounded. Speaking in Jalandhar, Kejriwal asked, “Why was I arrested if the PM says there is no evidence against me?”

PM’s interview remarks

Kejriwal pointed to PM Modi’s interview where he was asked about Kejriwal’s statement that no evidence was found in the liquor policy case. Modi reportedly said no money was recovered because Kejriwal is an "experienced thief." Kejriwal interpreted this as an admission that no recovery was made, thus the case against him was baseless. Kejriwal argued that calling him an "experienced thief" was just an excuse to justify wrongful arrests and urged the release of those detained in the case.

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Legal proceedings and health issues

Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case tied to the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy for 2021-22. He was jailed in Delhi’s Tihar Jail but is currently out on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court, allowing him to campaign for the Aam Aadmi Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The court has ordered him to surrender on June 2.

Ahead of this date, Kejriwal requested a seven-day extension of his interim bail on medical grounds. He stated that recent tests showed elevated blood glucose and ketone levels, which could cause kidney complications. However, the Supreme Court's Registry declined his request for an urgent hearing on the matter.

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Kejriwal’s appeal for more time highlighted the need for further diagnostic tests, including a PET-CT scan, due to potential kidney-related issues. Despite these health concerns, his plea for an extension was not granted, leaving his surrender date unchanged.

In summary, Kejriwal continues to challenge the legitimacy of the charges against him, citing PM Modi’s comments as evidence of the case’s weakness, while also dealing with pressing health concerns ahead of his court-ordered surrender.