New Delhi: India Saturday pilloried Germany for the remarks made by its Foreign Ministry over the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by summoning the Deputy Chief of Mission of the German Embassy to India Georg Enzweiler and registering a “strong protest” for commenting on New Delhi’s “internal affairs”. The German Foreign Ministry said Friday that Kejriwal is “entitled to a fair and impartial trial”.
India said Saturday that the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate is a matter internal to India and that Germany’s comments will be seen as “interfering” in the country’s judicial process.
“The German Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi was summoned today and conveyed India’s strong protest on their Foreign Office Spokesperson’s comments on our internal affairs. We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary,” said Randhir Jaiswal, Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs.
India protests German Foreign Office Spokesperson’s comments:https://t.co/0ItWQCRpyF pic.twitter.com/FZI3fWM51y
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) March 23, 2024
Jaiswal added, “India is a vibrant and robust democracy with rule of law. As in all legal cases in the country, and elsewhere in the democratic world, law will take its own course in the instant matter. Biased assumptions made on this account are most unwarranted.”
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On Friday, a spokesperson of the German Foreign Ministry when being questioned about the arrest said that the Delhi CM was “entitled to fair trial”.
“We have taken note, India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards relating to independence of Judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case. Like anyone facing accusations, Mr. Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial, this includes he can make use of all available legal avenues without restrictions.”
“The presumption of innocence is a central element of the rule of law and must apply to him,” the Spokesperson of the German Foreign Ministry stated.
Kejriwal was arrested Thursday late night by the ED from his residence and will be in their custody till March 28. He was arrested for alleged money laundering in relation with the ongoing Delhi excise policy case that was laid down in 2021-22, which was eventually scrapped.
The arrest has invited scathing criticism from domestic opposition political parties too. The ED has alleged that Kejriwal was the main mastermind behind the policy that also saw the arrest of other senior leaders of Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party (AAP). In a counterclaim, AAP Sunday said that the money trail in the Delhi liquor policy case can be traced to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
