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

‘In Kabul, A Cat Has More Freedom Than A Woman’: Revisiting Women’s Struggles Under The Taliban

The Taliban’s regime has since imposed over 100 laws restricting women's rights, stripping them of…

7 hours ago

PM Modi’s Gifts: A Glimpse Of India’s Cultural Heritage In Global Diplomacy

These gifts to world leaders reflect the diverse traditions, arts, and crafts of India, emphasizing…

10 hours ago

Dr Rajeshwar Singh Calls For Bold Goals To Make India A Global Power By 2047

Dr Singh stressed the importance of reaching a GDP of $15 trillion by 2047 to…

11 hours ago

Gautam Adani Faces Indictment In US: Legal Expert Vijay Aggarwal Dismisses Immediate Repercussions

Criminal lawyer Vijay Aggarwal weighed in on the charges against Adani. He believes the indictment…

11 hours ago

Adani Group Stocks Recover As Sensex nd Nifty Post Gains

After a major sell-off earlier in the week, Adani Group stocks, led by Ambuja Cements…

12 hours ago

Sensex Soars 1,961 Points, Nifty Gains 557 In Broad-Based Market Rally

A sharp rally in financial stocks and encouraging US labor market data fueled the uptrend.…

12 hours ago