Arvind Kejriwal Arrest: Shameful and Fatal for Democracy,’ says NCP's Clyde Crasto

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday arrested Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in excise policy case. Kejriwal was arrested after two hours of questioning by the ED officials at his residence.The Nationalist Congress Party (SP) on Thursday said the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is a systematic and planned move by the BJP to muzzle the voices of opposition leaders and keep them away from campaigning in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

NCP (SP) leader Clyde Crasto said leaders like Kejriwal have been targeted because they are highlighting the "misdeeds" of the BJP. The highlighting of misdeeds during campaigning will affect the votes of the BJP and, therefore, the ruling party is making sure these leaders are not present during the campaigning, he claimed.

"The arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is a systematic planned move by the BJP to muzzle the voices of opposition leaders and keep them away from campaigning in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election," Crasto said. He said Kejriwal's arrest is nothing but mockery of democracy by the BJP. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday night in an excise policy-linked money laundering case, 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 agency.