India summons US envoy over comments on Kejriwal’s arrest
The MEA warned of ‘unhealthy precedents and against unwarranted aspersions’; Kejriwal to reveal truth in Delhi liquor ‘scam’ today, says wife
The government has objected strongly to remarks by a US State Department spokesperson on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest last week in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.
The External Affairs Ministry summoned Gloria Berbena, the US’ Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, to a 40-minute meet at its office in Delhi on Wednesday aternoon.
In a brief statement released shortly aterwards, the MEA warned of “unhealthy precedents and against unwarranted aspersions.”
“States are expected to be respecful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others, and this responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up seting unhealthy precedents,” the External Affairs Ministry said.
“India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is commited to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted,” the statement stressed.
On Tuesday the US State Department said it is monitoring reports of Kejriwal’s arrest, and called on New Delhi to ensure “a fair and timely legal process” for the jailed Aam Aadmi Party leader.
The US State Department’s comments came, in turn, days ater Germany’s Foreign Office stressed that Kejriwal, like any other Indian citizen facing charges, is entitled to a fair and impartial trial.
The Indian government reacted strongly to the comment, summoning the German envoy and labelling the Foreign Office spokesperson’s remark “blatant interference in internal maters.”
“Weseesuchremarksasinterferinginourjudicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary,” the External Affairs Ministry said, “Biased assumptions are most unwarranted.”
Asked about India’s protest to Germany, the State Department spokesperson told Reuters, “We refer you to the German Foreign Ministry for comment on their discussions with the Indian government.” Earlier this month the Indian government also took exception to comments by its counterpart on the changes to the citizenship law, calling them out as “misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted.”
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last week in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam that has roiled his
AAP and provoked furious protests from the opposition ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Kejriwal was this week sent to jail till March 28. The Enforcement Directorate believes the nowscrapped liquor policy provided an impossibly high profit margin of 185 per cent for retailers and 12 per cent for wholesalers.
Of the later, six per cent - over Rs600 crore - were bribes and the money was allegedly used to fund the AAP’S poll campaigns.
The ED has labelled the Chief Minister as a key conspirator in this case, but Kejriwal and party colleagues arrested in this mater - ex-deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and former Health Minister Satyendar Jain - have all denied the charges.
The AAP and the opposition have hit out at the Bjp-led central government for using central agencies, like the ED, to target rivals and critics before the general election.
The AAP has criticised Kejriwal’s arrest on grounds it was timed to interfere with his plans to campaign for the party.
The BJP has dismissed claims it uses central agencies as described by the opposition.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal on Wednesday said he will present a detailed reply on “so-called Delhi liquor scam” in the court on Thursday, March 28.
Sunita Kejriwal held a brief press conference. Earlier on Tuesday evening, Sunita met with Kejriwal at the office of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED).
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a stern warning against organising protests within the precincts of any courts in the capital.
The court was addressing a complaint lodged regarding a protest called by the AAP’S legal cell in the vicinities of courts against the arrest of Kejriwal.
Scheduled for Wednesday across various Delhi courts, this demonstration by the legal cell and AAP political workers has sparked controversy and legal pushback.
The warning came from a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, who expressed concern over the proposed protests at court premises.