Delhi HC Quashes PIL to Remove Kejriwal from Delhi CM Post After Arrest

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed a PIL seeking the removal of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal from the post of Delhi Chief Minister following his arrest in a money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy scam.

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora dismissed the PIL filed by one Surjit Singh Yadav and said, “This Court is of the view that there is no scope for judicial interference vis- a-vis the relief sought for in the PIL. The PIL is dismissed. We have not commented on the merits”.

“You (Yadav) will have to show us some bar or prohibition that prohibits him from being a CM. If there is any constitutional failure the President or Governor will act on it. It may take some but I am sure they will decide this. The situation today is something that was not imagined. There is no legal bar today,” Justice Manmohan said.

Yadav had contended that a Chief Minister embroiled in a financial scandal should not be allowed to continue in office while in jail as it not only obstructed due process of law but also undermined the constitutional machinery of the state.

However, the high court said it’s for the Executive and the President to examine the issue as it wondered if there was any scope for judicial interference.

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.