NEW DELHI: In a major development, the Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the Enforcement Directorate over Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest just before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The apex court, while responding to a plea by Kejriwal against his arrest in the Delhi excise policy case, stated that ”life and liberty are exceedingly important”. The top court asked ED’s lawyer to respond to Arvind Kejriwal’s query as to why he was arrested just before the Lok Sabha elections. Arvind Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21, has challenged the agency’s move.

News Alert ! SC questions ED on timing of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest ahead of general elections, seeks its reply.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 30, 2024

“Liberty is very exceedingly important, you can’t deny that. The last question is with regard to the timing of the arrest, which they (Arvind Kejriwal’s lawyer) have pointed out, the timing of the arrest, soon before the general elections,” Justice Sanjiv Khanna told ASG SV Raju.

Justice Sanjeev Khanna told the ED to explain whether the central agency can take up criminal proceedings without having gone through judicial proceedings in the case. The top court noted that in the matter linked to Manish Sisodia, the investigators have claimed they have found material, but in Kejriwal’s case nothing has been brought up.

Earlier this month, the Delhi high court upheld Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, saying the agency had no other option as the former had not been joining the probe. Kejriwal, who has refused to resign as Chief Minister, is lodged in Delhi’s Tihar under judicial custody after his arrest on March 21.

The Supreme Court had issued notice to ED on April 15 and sought its response to Kejriwal’s challenge against his arrest.