The government has objected strongly to remarks by a US State Department spokesperson on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest last week in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.
The External Affairs Ministry summoned Gloria Berbena, the US’ Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, to a 40-minute meet at its office in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon. In a brief statement released shortly afterwards, the MEA warned of “unhealthy precedents and again “unwarranted aspersions”.
US High Commission summoned by Indian administration
“We take strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India.
In diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others. This responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents. India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted,” the MEA said.
India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary that is committed to “objective and timely outcomes”, and casting aspersions on that is unwarranted, the statement added.
On March 25, a state department spokesperson told Reuters that the US is closely following reports of the arrest of Kejriwal and encourages a fair legal process.
Earlier, Germany had commented on Kejriwal’s arrest which drew a strong reaction from India which called the remarks “blatant interference in India’s internal matters.”
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last week in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Mr Kejriwal was this week sent to jail till March 28. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has rejected the corruption charges.
The Enforcement Directorate believes the now-scrapped liquor policy provided an impossibly high profit margin of 185 per cent for retailers and 12 per cent for wholesalers. Of the latter, six per cent – over ₹ 600 crore – were bribes and the money was allegedly used to fund the AAP’s poll campaigns.
All eye on Kejriwal’s AAP
The ED has labelled the Chief Minister as a key conspirator in this case, but Mr Kejriwal and party colleagues arrested in this matter – ex-Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and former Health Minister Satyendar Jain – have all denied the charges.
The AAP and the opposition have hit out at the BJP-led central government for using central agencies, like the ED, to target rivals and critics before the general election. The AAP has criticised Mr Kejriwal’s arrest on grounds it was timed to interfere with his plans to campaign for the party.
The BJP has dismissed claims it uses central agencies as described by the opposition, India summoned a senior American diplomat to protest against the US state department’s call for “a fair legal process for arrested Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.”
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