After Kejriwal's Arrest, Trouble Mounts for AAP; MHA Sanctions CBI Inquiry Against Satyendar Jain | Updates

Hours after granting permission to the Opposition’s INDIA bloc for a rally at Ramlila Maidan to protest against the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday sanctioned a CBI inquiry against jailed AAP leader Satyendar Jain under the Prevention of Corruption (PoC) Act.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal News Live Updates

According to government sources cited by news agency ANI, the inquiry pertains to allegations of extorting Rs. 10 crores from conman Sukash Chandrashekhar, who was then imprisoned in Tihar Jail.

In February of this year, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena forwarded the proposal for a CBI inquiry to the Home Ministry seeking approval to ‘prosecute/investigate’ Jain, who was arrested in May 2022 in a money laundering case.

On Friday, the Election Commission and Delhi Police granted permission to the Opposition’s INDIA bloc to hold a rally at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital on Sunday, March 31. The rally will be held to protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case.

Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai said that top leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Champai Soren, Tejashwi Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, and others, have been confirmed to attend Sunday’s rally.

“All big leaders of the INDIA alliance partners are coming to Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on March 31. People of Delhi are also preparing to come. We have received the permission for the rally. So far, names of Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Farooq Abdullah, Bhagwant Mann, Champai Soren, Tejashwi Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, Derek O’ Brien, Trichy Shiva, D Raja, Dipaknkar Bhattacharya, Kalpana Soren and G Devarajan have been confirmed,” Delhi minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai told new agency PTI.

Earlier in the day, jailed CM of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal launched AAP’s new WhatsApp campaign titled ‘Kejriwal Ko Aashirwaad Do’ and called on people to rally behind her husband. She provided a WhatsApp number where supporters of Kejriwal can send their wishes and messages of support for their leader.

Similarly, Delhi Minister Gopal Rai held a door-to-door campaign and distributed an invitation pamphlet, ‘Mai Bhi Kejriwal’, appealing to people to attend the INDIA alliance rally that is to be held on March 31 at Ramlila Maidan to protest Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest.

After the United States and Germany, the United Nations made a statement on Delhi’s Chief Minister and said that it hopes all democratic rights are protected. “What we very much hope is that in India, or any other country.. everyone’s rights are protected and everyone can vote in the atmosphere free and fair.”

Meanwhile, Delhi Minister Atishi while addressing a press conference on Friday said ED Counsel revealed its real motive while arguing in court. Atishi said ED in court argued that Kejriwal refused to provide his phone’s password, which he possessed when the policy was implemented, to the probe agency.

She also added that the probe agency wants access to Kejriwal’s phone to understand AAP’s strategy for Lok Sabha Elections.

Arvind Kejriwal’s Wife Sunita Kejriwal on Thursday made a big claim about the AAP supremo’s condition in Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) custody and said he is being harassed a lot adding that the leader’s health is deteriorating

On the other hand, the Delhi High Court, on the same day, rejected a PIL seeking the removal of Arvind Kejriwal from the post of CM due to his arrest adding that there is no bar on running a government from jail.

The developments came on the day when a Delhi court extended the chief minister’s ED custody till April 1, saying the agency provided “sufficient reasons”, such as the need for him to be confronted with material collected and statements recorded, to permit his further custodial interrogation.

In the court, Kejriwal alleged that the “actual” excise scam started after the ED probe and not when the policy was made and that the agency’s “two main motives” were to crush his Aam Aadmi Party and to declare it corrupt.

Here Are the Top Updates on Arvind Kejriwal’s Arrest and Interrogation in the Delhi Liquor Policy Case:

• A Delhi Court on Thursday extended the Enforcement Directorate custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till April 1 in the excise policy case.
• Delhi CM’s wife Sunita Kejriwal claimed that the AAP chief was being harassed a lot and is not keeping well in custody, TOI reported.
• Sunita Kejriwal also issued a WhatsApp number – 8297324624 where Kejriwal supporters can send their wishes and support messages for their leader.
• Delhi Minister Gopal Rai held a door-to-door campaign and distributed an invitation pamphlet, ‘Mai Bhi Kejriwal’, appealing to people to attend the INDIA alliance rally to be held on March 31 at Ramlila Maidan.
• Delhi Minister Atishi while addressing a press conference said ED’s counsel revealed the agency’s real motive behind Kejriwal’s arrest.
• Atishi claimed that ED wants access to Kejriwal’s phone to understand AAP’s strategy for Lok Sabha Elections.
• Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal on Friday launched AAP’s new campaign ‘Kejriwal Ko Aashirwaad Do’ Abhiyaan.
• Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday compared Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s wife to former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, and said she is perhaps preparing to hold the post of her husband.
• After the US and Germany, the UN issued a statement on Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest adding “What we very much hope that in India, or any other country.. everyone’s rights are protected.”
• Delhi High Court rejected a petition seeking Arvind Kejriwal’s removal from the Chief Minister’s post adding that the government can be run from jail by law.
• India said the US State Department’s recent remarks on the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal are “unwarranted” and asserted the country is “proud of its independent and robust democratic institutions” and committed to protecting them from any form of undue external influences.
• Kejriwal, who argued his case in court on Thursday, presented a short timeline of the case and named a few people whose statements during interrogation in the case changed, HT reported.
• The chief minister also alleged in the court that one of the accused Sarath Reddy donated Rs 55 crore to the BJP.
• Sarath Reddy was named as part of the liquor policy’s south chain which involved Telangana leader K Kavitha, who is now arrested.
• Arguing his case personally for around 10 minutes, Kejriwal said a “smokescreen” of the AAP being corrupt had been created before the nation. “Are four statements enough to arrest a sitting CM?” the AAP chief asked.
• A man carrying a liquor bottle was detained by the Delhi Police for allegedly creating a ruckus outside the Rouse Avenue court when Arvind Kejriwal was produced.
• Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday took a swipe at Sunita Kejriwal, suggesting that she is preparing to assume her husband Arvind Kejriwal’s position as Delhi’s Chief Minister.
• Earlier today, the INDIA alliance bloc parties organised a joint ‘Satyagraha’ at Azad Maidan in Mumbai to protest the arrest of Kejriwal. Mumbai Congress unit chief Varsha Gaikwad and other members from the bloc attended the protest.
• The Election Commission and Delhi Police have granted permission to the INDIA bloc to organise a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Ground on Sunday, March 31, to protest against the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
• Delhi Minister Gopal Rai said that top leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Farooq Abdullah, Bhagwant Mann, Champai Soren, Tejashwi Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, Derek O’Brien, and others, have been confirmed to attend Sunday’s rally.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday sanctioned a CBI inquiry against jailed AAP leader Satyendar Jain under the Prevention of Corruption (PoC) Act. The inquiry is related to allegations of extorting Rs 10 crore from conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.
• AAP workers, led by party leader Vishesh Ravi, held a candle march in Delhi to protest against the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal by the ED.
• BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya questioned why AAP MP Raghav Chadha is still in London amid Delhi CM Kejriwal’s arrest. In a post on X, Malviya noted Chadha’s claim of being in London for eye surgery but questioned if it’s just an excuse to stay away.