Arvind Kejriwal Arrest: Supreme Court likely to hear bail plea, AAP to hold nationwide protest

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's legal team brought his petition, challenging his arrest, to the attention of the Supreme Court registrar late on Thursday. 

No special bench was set up and it is expected that his plea will be listed for hearing on Friday. 

Lawyers involved in the drafting of Kejriwal's petition stated that the plea outlines a series of malicious actions by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), allegedly incited by the BJP government at the Centre. 

These actions include repeated summonses to the Chief Minister without providing a clear purpose for his required personal appearance before the agency. 

The legal team also revealed that Kejriwal plans to inform the Supreme Court about the significant prejudice that the arrest could cause to AAP. They argue that the BJP is threatened by AAP's swift rise in the national political landscape. 

Also Read: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal arrested, section 144 imposed outside his residence

They further alleged that Kejriwal's arrest was intended to hinder his campaign activities for the upcoming general elections, set to commence on April 19.

The AAP's Delhi unit convenor Gopal Rai gave a call on Thursday for a nationwide protest against the BJP following Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Rai said Kejriwal's arrest is the "murder of democracy" and an "announcement of dictatorship".

The ED arrested Kejriwal in an excise policy-linked money-laundering case on Thursday evening and took him to the agency's headquarters here, officials said.

The arrest, the first of a sitting chief minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the federal agency.a