'Vague, baseless': Kejriwal hits back at ED in counter-affidavit

NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister

Arvind Kejriwal

on Saturday filed his response on the

Enforcement Directorate

's affidavit in the Supreme Court and said that the mode, manner and timing of his arrest speaks volumes about the arbitrariness of the central agency.
In his rejoinder affidavit, Kejriwal suggested that a political conspiracy was hatched behind his arrest as he was taken into custody just before the announcement of the schedule of the

Lok Sabha elections

and the model code of conduct had came into play.

"During an election cycle when political activity is at its highest, the Petitioner's illegal arrest has caused grave prejudice to the Petitioner's political party, and will provide the ruling party at the Centre an unjust upper hand in the ongoing elections. A level playing field which is a pre requisite for 'free and fair elections' has clearly been compromised with the illegal arrest of the Petitioner," Kejriwal told the Supreme Court.
"The present case is a classic case of how the ruling party-led central government has misused the central agency- Enforcement Directorate and its wide powers under PMLA to crush its biggest political opponent -Aam Aadmi Party and its leaders. The corresponding paras of SLP are reiterated and relied upon herein and not repeated for the sake of brevity," he added.

Delhi chief minister also claimed that the central agency has no proof or material demonstrating that the

Aam Aadmi Party

has received advanced kickbacks from the South lobby, let alone utilizing them in the Goa election campaign.
“Not a single rupee was traced back to the AAP, and the allegations put forth in this regard are devoid of any tangible evidence, rendering them vague, baseless without any corroboration,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal's response comes days after the Enforcement Director filed an affidavit in the Delhi Excise policy case and claimed that Delhi chief minister played a central role in the excise policy case, acting as the "kingpin and key conspirator." The probe agency asserted that arresting an individual based on evidence of an offense does not undermine the principles of free and fair elections.
According to the

ED

, Kejriwal allegedly collaborated with his ministers and AAP leaders, and was involved in "demanding kickbacks" from liquor businessmen in return for favors granted through the policy.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
On April 9, the Delhi high court upheld Kejriwal's arrest, citing his repeated non-compliance with central agency's summons as a compelling factor necessitating his arrest.