By Sania Farooqui and Sugam Pokharel, CNN

New Delhi (CNN) — Indian authorities on Thursday arrested the distinguished opposition politician Arvind Kejriwal in an alleged corruption case, a transfer opposition events claimed was a political maneuver by the federal government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi simply weeks earlier than the final election.

Law enforcement officers from the Enforcement Directorate, a federal monetary crime company, arrested Kejriwal, who’s each the chief of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the chief minister of Delhi, at his home Thursday night.

The company is investigating allegations that an alcohol coverage carried out by the Delhi authorities in 2022, which ended its management over the sale of liquor within the capital, gave undue benefits to personal retailers, in response to Reuters. The coverage was subsequently withdrawn. Leaders of his celebration have stated no proof of wrongdoing has emerged within the investigation, Reuters reported.

Kejriwal’s supporters and members of different opposition events staged protests exterior his home in Delhi, calling the arrest a political transfer by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Senior BJP chief Ravi Shankar Prasad defended the motion of the monetary crime company, telling native media that “this is a process of law which is being done with a view to taking appropriate action against corruption. We will only say, let the law take its course.”

The arrest comes simply weeks forward of India’s common election, which AAP will contest as a accomplice in an alliance fashioned by 26 opposition political events.

Speaking to native media, AAP member and Delhi’s Finance Minister Atishi Singh stated Kejriwal would stay the chief minister and that “if needed, Arvind Kejriwal will run the government from inside the jail.”

Singh later stated on X that the celebration had requested the Supreme Court for an pressing listening to to quash the arrest.

Kejriwal has a status as one of many staunchest critics of the Indian prime minister and the ruling BJP.

“These arrests are being done just before the elections and using the agency is shameful,” the Delhi chief of India’s predominant opposition Congress celebration, Arvinder Singh Lovely, stated.

Kejriwal’s arrest got here hours after the opposition Congress celebration accused the BJP of utilizing the nation’s tax division to “cripple” their funds.

The celebration claimed their financial institution accounts had been frozen by the division, leaving them unable to make use of some $20 million value of funds.

CNN has reached out to the Enforcement Directorate and to the legal professionals of Kejriwal and is but to listen to again.

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