BJP complains to Delhi LG against CM Arvind Kejriwal issuing orders from ED custody

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday complained to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena about Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal issuing directions while in the Enforcement Directorate’s custody.

The party claimed that this amounted to “unauthorised use of power and authority” by Kejriwal, The Indian Express reported.

The Delhi chief minister was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate in the liquor policy case. On the next day, he was remanded to the agency’s custody till March 28.

Since his arrest, Kejriwal has issued two directions to Delhi water minister Atishi and health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj to address complaints regarding water and sewerage issues and to ensure the availability of medicines in state-run mohalla clinics.

BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who filed the complaint with Saxena, alleged that the Delhi government’s letterhead was fabricated for orders purportedly issued by the chief minister.

“Kejriwal Ji, currently in remand, lacks the legal capacity to issue such directives without court permission, which hasn’t been granted,” the complaint to Lt. Governor Sexana read. “This order is illegal and unconstitutional; mandating the need for enquiry as to who is misusing CMO and for what personal gains.”

Sirsa urged the Lt. Governor to issue “necessary orders/instructions” to establish an official mechanism to address the “ongoing serious crisis”.

The Aam Aadmi Party, however, alleged that the BJP “does not want Kejriwal to serve the people of Delhi”.

The party alleged that by arresting Kejriwal, the BJP was trying to divert attention from the “money trail” revealed after details of electoral bonds were made public.

The party was referring to revelations that companies linked to businessman P Sarath Chandra Reddy, one of the directors of Aurobindo Pharma Limited, donated money to the BJP through electoral bonds.

Reddy had been arrested in the case, but was granted pardon in June after he agreed to become an approver in the case.

Data on electoral bonds released by the Election Commission last week showed that Reddy’s Aurobindo Pharma Limited had donated Rs 5 crore to the BJP in 2022, just five days after he was taken in custody. The company donated another Rs 25 crore to the BJP after the Hyderabad-based businessman turned approver in the excise policy case.

In all, the company bought electoral bonds worth Rs 52 crore, of which Rs 34.5 crore went to the BJP.