India

India Summons American Diplomat Over Remarks on Arvind Kejriwal’s Legal Process

In a move demonstrating India’s firm stance on judicial independence, the country summoned a senior American diplomat on Wednesday to protest against comments made by the US State Department regarding the legal proceedings involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. This action follows a similar protest lodged with Germany just four days prior.

The External Affairs Ministry issued a statement expressing “strong objection” to statements made by a US State Department spokesperson regarding legal matters in India. Although the statement did not explicitly mention the summoning of the American diplomat, it was reported that Gloria Berbena, the acting Deputy Chief of Mission for the US, was called in for discussions at the External Affairs Ministry.

The statement emphasized the importance of diplomatic respect for the sovereignty and internal affairs of other nations, especially among fellow democracies, to prevent the establishment of detrimental precedents. It underscored that India’s legal processes are grounded in an independent judiciary committed to fair and timely outcomes, dismissing any doubts cast upon this system as unwarranted.

The US State Department spokesperson had stated earlier in the week that the US was closely monitoring reports of Kejriwal’s arrest and advocated for a fair legal process. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) the previous week for his alleged involvement in Delhi’s contentious excise policy for 2021-22, which was subsequently scrapped. His party, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has denied the corruption allegations.

Meanwhile, India also expressed discontent with Germany’s position on Kejriwal’s arrest, summoning the German Deputy Chief of Mission, Georg Enzweiler, to register its protest. Germany’s stance, as articulated by its foreign ministry spokesperson, was deemed as interference in India’s judicial process by the External Affairs Ministry.

The case against Kejriwal revolves around allegations of corruption and money laundering related to the execution of Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22. The ED has claimed that AAP leaders received kickbacks amounting to ₹100 crore in relation to this policy. Kejriwal’s name has been mentioned multiple times in charge sheets filed by the ED, alleging his involvement in formulating the excise policy.

Also Read: Congress Leader Criticizes Shiv Sena Over Candidate Announcement, Called Uddhav ‘Khichdi Chor’

Malika Sahni

Recent Posts

Pakistan’s Digital Frontline: Jokes, Memes And Savage Self-Roasts

While tensions between India and Pakistan escalate post the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, something unexpected…

52 mins ago

Reliance Industries Q4 Net Profit Rises 6.4% As Retail And Digital Units Offset Energy Weakness

Reliance Industries delivered a strong Q4 FY25 performance, with Y-o-Y net profit rising 6.4% to…

1 hour ago

Yash Pratap Singh And Mehak Jaiswal Top UP Board Exams With Outstanding Scores

Yash Pratap Singh of Jalaun tops Class 10 with 97.83%, while Prayagraj’s Mehak Jaiswal secures…

1 hour ago

Yogi Adityanath Calls For Reforms To Make Madrasa Education Modern And Employment-Oriented

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday emphasised the need for sweeping reforms in the madrasa…

2 hours ago

Tulsi Gabbard Backs India’s Hunt For Pahalgam Terror Attack Perpetrators

United States Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard on Friday expressed strong support for…

3 hours ago

World Leaders Head To Rome For funeral Of Pope Francis

Indian President Droupadi Murmu will also attend, representing India alongside Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Minister…

4 hours ago