No interim relief for Kejriwal from HC, wife claims he will do 'big expose' on excise case

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita claimed her husband would do a "big expose" on the alleged excise policy scam in court on Thursday, even as the AAP supremo did not get immediate relief from the Delhi High Court which refused to interfere with his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate.

Kejriwal is likely to be produced before a city court on the conclusion of his ED custodial remand. His wife Wednesday also claimed that no money was found in multiple raids conducted by the central probe agency.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena at an event said the Delhi government will not be run from jail, a statement that came against the backdrop of assertion by AAP leaders that Kejriwal will continue as chief minister even if he is behind bars.

Replying to a query at the Times Now Summit, Saxena said, "I can assure the people of Delhi that the government will not be run from jail." Responding to the LG's statement, AAP leader and Delhi cabinet minister Atishi, in an interview with PTI, cited The Representation of the People Act that disqualifies a lawmaker if he or she is convicted.

"What is the constitutional provision he is drawing on? The law of the country is very clear. You have the GNCTD Act which is very clear that you cannot be the chief minister if you do not enjoy the majority of the House. These conditions do not apply. So, under what conditions will President's Rule be imposed?" said Atishi.

She also said Kejriwal's arrest will benefit the AAP electorally in the Lok Sabha polls as the party is getting a lot of sympathy.

She termed the arrest of Kejriwal as an attack on democracy that was "never seen before" in the democratic history of the country.

The day saw protests by both AAP and BJP, with both the parties raising slogans against each other.

While the BJP leaders and workers protested outside the Delhi assembly demanding Kejriwal's resignation, AAP MLAs raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

BJP legislators also took out a march carrying placards. Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said Kejriwal should resign as the chief minister.

Clad in yellow T-shirts and sporting 'Kejriwal' masks, AAP MLAs arrived at the Delhi Assembly to attend a one-day session on Wednesday to mark their protest against the party supremo's arrest.

Party leaders, including Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, symbolically took their social media campaign to the assembly as they came dressed in yellow T-shirts with slogans, such as "Mai bhi Kejriwal" and "Modi ka sabse bada dar Kejriwal", printed on them.

"All AAP MLAs are protesting against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's illegal arrest. Efforts are being made to do away with democracy in the country. For the first time in India's history, a sitting chief minister has been arrested and that too just before the national (Lok Sabha) election," Atishi told reporters during the protest.

As the Assembly proceedings began, the AAP MLAs stormed into the well of the House raising "murdabad" slogans against the Centre and demanding Kejriwal's release. The House was adjourned till April 1 amid the sloganeering.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal's wife Sunita, in a digital briefing said her husband will reveal the details of the alleged liquor scam in court on Thursday and also present evidence.

She said when she met him in ED custody, he told her that the central agency has conducted more than 250 raids in connection with the "so-called liquor scam" in the last two years but "not a single paisa" has been found.

The ED raided Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Satyendar Jain's places but no money was found. They raided our (CM residence) place and found just Rs 73,000, she said and asked whether the money was from the "so-called liquor scam.

Refusing to interfere with the arrest of Kejriwal, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice on the AAP leader's petition challenging his arrest and the subsequent remand to the ED's custody, and asked the agency to file its response to it as well as his plea for interim relief of release before April 2.

The judge, in the order, clarified the matter would be taken up for final disposal on April 3 and no adjournment shall be granted.

The opposition INDIA bloc is holding a "maha rally" at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on March 31 to "safeguard the country's interests and democracy".

"We will hold a 'maha rally' at Ramlila Maidan on March 31 against what is happening in the country. The top leadership of the INDIA bloc will participate in the event," Rai, the AAP's Delhi convenor, said on Sunday.

Kejriwal's health has deteriorated

The blood sugar level of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is diabetic, is fluctuating and his health has deteriorated in Enforcement Directorate custody, AAP sources claimed on Wednesday.

Arvind Kejriwal's blood sugar level dropped to 46 Mg at one point of time and according to doctors, such a drop is "very dangerous", they claimed.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister's wife Sunita Kejriwal said in a digital briefing that she had met him in ED custody and his sugar level was fluctuating. She appealed people to pray for his health.

Inputs from PTI