Parliament
'Stop misusing ED, CBI': AAP MPs boycott President's address to Parliament in protest against Kejriwal's arrest
New Delhi/IBNS: In protest against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest in the alleged liquor policy scam, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) boycotted President Droupadi Murmu's customary address to the joint session of Parliament on Thursday.
The AAP MPs were seen holding placards with slogans reading, "Stop misusing ED, CBI", "Won't allow dictatorship".
AAP MP Sanjay Singh said, "Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested and put in jail by CBI when he was likely to get bail from the Supreme Court and he had got bail from the trial court. The Prime Minister should stop the misuse of investigating agencies. We will boycott the President's speech because it is written by the government and big talks will be made about democracy in it.
"But on the contrary, the Constitution is being crushed all over India. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain were arrested. That is why we are protesting here and opposing the President's address."
The Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday sent Kejriwal to a three-day custody of CBI, which arrested him in connection with the now scrapped Delhi liquor policy.
Kejriwal was already in jail after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrest in connection with the money laundering case linked to the alleged scam.
Kejriwal's bail overturned
Kejriwal, who was granted bail by the Rouse Avenue Court, faced a setback after the ED filed a plea challenging his release in the Delhi High Court.
The High Court paused the bail in a setback for Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED on March 21, 2024.
The ED argued the lower court's grant of bail was "completely flawed". Kejriwal then moved the Supreme Court to overturn the stay order.
Despite acknowledging the High Court action as "unusual", the top court refused to oblige and said it would be improper to intervene as the Delhi HC had reserved its judgement.
In more setback for Kejriwal, who is lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail, stayed the bail accusing the lower court of not granting enough time to the prosecution for argument and not listing the conditions for the bail.
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate over money laundering allegations while framing the Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped after the Lieutenant Governor raised red flags.
The ED has alleged the money Kejriwal got from the liquor sellers was used to fund the party's campaign in Goa since he is the convenor of the AAP.
Kejriwal and the AAP have throughout maintained the Centre has been misusing its agencies to harass the Opposition with false cases.
Kejriwal was given an interim bail in May for a brief period until June 2, 2024 for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls.
He went back to the jail on June 2, 2024 the day next to the last phase poll date.
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