GUWAHATI: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Delhi High Court asking that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal be allowed to administer Delhi government from jail, where he is currently lodged on charges of money laundering linked to the liquor policy.
The PIL comes after the courts rejected two PILs asking that Kejriwal be not allowed to govern Delhi from jail.
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The plea, filed by advocate Shrikant Prasad, proposes arrangements for Kejriwal to conduct virtual conferencing with cabinet ministers to ensure the governance of Delhi continues seamlessly.
Furthermore, the PIL seeks to restrain media outlets from sensationalising headlines regarding Kejriwal's potential resignation and the imposition of President's Rule in the national capital. It also urges action against Virendra Sachdeva, BJP Delhi president, for allegedly organising protests and exerting undue pressure for Kejriwal's resignation.
The petitioner contends that Kejriwal's imprisonment has disrupted the governance of Delhi, despite the government's commendable track record in sectors like education and health over the past seven years.
Additionally, the PIL argues that neither the Indian Constitution nor any law prohibits ministers, including the Chief Minister, from governing while in jail. Prasad, representing the poor and marginalised of Delhi, asserts that he is approaching the court on their behalf, emphasizing the urgency of the matter due to the current governmental standstill.
Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21, in connection with the liquor policy case, prompted the legal action. While his judicial custody expires on April 23, the Delhi High Court recently dismissed his plea challenging the arrest, citing sufficient evidence provided by the ED.
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Meanwhile, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are also implicated in the case. While Sisodia remains in jail, Singh was granted bail by the Supreme Court. The ED alleges that Kejriwal orchestrated the Delhi excise scam, utilising proceeds of crime exceeding ₹100 crore.
The agency contends that the excise policy was manipulated to provide significant profits to certain private entities, implicating Kejriwal and Sisodia as the masterminds behind the scheme. The matter is now sub judice, awaiting further proceedings in the Supreme Court.
