Arvind Kejriwal News Live Updates: ED files replies to revisions, counsels for Kejriwal seek time to respond

After the INDIA bloc's 'Maharally' in protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat said if Arvind Kejriwal had succumbed to pressure, he might have ended up contesting elections on the Bharatiya Janata Party's ticket.

"We can say today that if Arvind Kejriwal had bowed, then today he would have been fighting on the ticket of BJP. Those people who are on the stage of opposition are not meant to be bowed, to be sold; they are to fight for people," she said.

She underscored the need to safeguard the Constitution of India and ensure its vitality, rather than allowing it to languish in the ICU.

"The purpose is to take out the Constitution of India from ICU and keep it alive," she added.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday slammed the Bharitya Janta Party for creating 'undemocratic obstacles' and trying to influence the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at INDIA bloc's 'Loktantra Bachao' rally the congress leader announced the oppositions five demands before the upcoming polls, including a demand for the release of Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita read out his letter during the INDIA bloc's 'Loktantra Bachao' rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday.At the mega rally, Sunita Kejriwal said, "Mother India is in pain, this tyranny won't work. My husband getting lots of blessings.

"Will take country's spiritualism to every corner of the world. Will create India that will have no divide. INDIA bloc is just not name...India resides in our hearts. Will ensure 24x7 free electricity across the country," said Sunita Kejriwal while reading Kejriwal's letter at the rally.

INDIA alliance rally: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal says, "Your own Kejriwal has sent a message for you from jail. Before reading this message, I would like to ask you something. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi put my husband in jail, did the Prime Minister do the right thing? Do you believe that Kejriwal Ji is a true patriot and honest person? These BJP people are saying that Kejriwal ji is in jail, he should resign. Should he resign? Your Kejriwal is a lion, they will not be able to keep him in jail for long..."

PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti addressed the INDIA bloc's 'Loktantra Bachao' rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi.

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj was at the Ramlila Maidan for INDIA alliance's 'Save Democracy' rally. (PTI)

The INDIA Alliance maha rally is to begin at 10 am.

AAP leader Durgesh Pathak was talking to PTI on INDIA bloc's mega rally, scheduled to be held at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan later today.

Enforcement Directorate on Saturday questioned Delhi's transport minister Kailash Gahlot in connection with its probe related to the alleged excise policy scam. Gahlot, along with former deputy CM Manish Sisodia and former health minister Satyendar Jain, was part of a group of ministers that carried out changes in the excise policy that allegedly facilitated the 'scam'.

Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana Soren on Saturday met jailed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal at her residence on 6 Flagstaff Road in Delhi.

According to the officials, the meeting between the two lasted for for 15-20 minutes.

"What happened in Jharkhand two months ago, has happened in Delhi now. I came here to meet Sunita Kejriwal to sympathise with her and we have taken a vow to fight against this," Kalpana Soren said after the meeting.

AAP is expecting more than one lakh people from Punjab to participate in the INDIA bloc's rally in Delhi on Sunday, said a senior party leader on Saturday. The opposition INDIA bloc will hold a 'Maharally' at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on March 31 to "safeguard" the country's interests and democracy, the Aam Aadmi Party had earlier said.

The rally was announced after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an excise policy-linked money-laundering case.

From Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, cabinet ministers and MLAs will participate in the rally.

AAP Punjab state unit working president Budh Ram said, "We have set a target of 1.25 lakh people from Punjab to participate in the protest."

All the MLAs had held outreach programmes in their respective assembly constituencies to ensure maximum participation of people in the rally. Party workers were deputed to mobilise people for the Sunday rally. (PTI)

After questioning by the ED in the money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy, Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot says, "Whatever questions were asked to me, I answered all of them... The government bungalow was allotted to me in Civil Lines, but I have always stayed in my private residence in Vasant Kunj because my wife and kids didn't want to move from there. Vijay Nair was living in the bungalow allotted to me... No cross-questioning was conducted... I appeared on my second summons. The first summons was issued one month ago during assembly proceedings. I had sought some time... I have never been part of the Goa election campaign and I am unaware of what happened..."

Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj says, "Hemant Soren was a big leader of opposition parties and he was running govt in a non-BJP state. Everyone saw how the central govt had put him in jail, similarly, Arvind Kejriwal has also been put in jail. Kalpana Soren, wife of Hemant Soren, today came to meet Sunita Kejriwal. We have invited both Kalapana Soren and Champai Soren to the INDIA bloc rally to be held on March 31, both will attend the meeting. I don't have any such information regarding this, as of now (about Sunita Kejriwal joining the rally)."

Referring to the questioning of Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot by the ED in the excise policy case, she said, "They may summon me, Bharadwaj and other AAP leaders and arrest us but we are not scared of going to jail." Atishi said Kejriwal's arrest was an "assault on democracy" in the country and the whole of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc opposed it.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday alleged connection between one of the witnesses in the alleged excise policy scam and the BJP, and challenged the enforcement directorate (ED) to conduct a probe into it. Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, whose son Raghava Magunta Reddy was arrested by the ED in connection with the excise policy case, has been fielded by the BJP's ally TDP in the Lok Sabha polls, senior AAP leaders and Delhi Ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged in a press conference. "I challenge the ED if it is an independent agency to bring in record this connection and probe it," Atishi said and alleged that the BJP has connections with the so-called 'South Lobby' of liquor traders. No immediate reaction was available from the BJP on AAP's allegation.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday filed replies to two revisions of CM Arvind Kejriwal challenging issuance of summons on the complaints filed by the Agency in Delhi Excise policy case. Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by the ED on March 21. He is in custody till April 1. Advocate Mudit Jain and Advocate Rehan Khan Counsels for Arvind Kejriwal sought time to response to the replies filed by the ED. Special judge Rakesh Syal granted time and listed the matter April 24 for argument.

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said,“We told you about Sharat Reddy’s relation with BJP. He donated money to the BJP after being arrested in a Money laundering case. Today, we are talking about ex-YSRCP MP Magunta Reddy and his son Raghav Manguta Reddy. Yesterday, the NDA member TDP nominated him (Magunta Reddy) as its candidate for Lok Sabha elections. This means PM Modi and the entire BJP will now garner votes for someone who is the key witness against (Delhi CM) Arvind Kejriwal.”

Kalpana Soren, the wife of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and former CM Hemant Soren, arrives in Delhi, to take part in the INDIA group rally tomorrow.

On the preparations for INDIA bloc's 'Maha Rally' to protest against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's arrest on March 31, AAP Minister Gopal Rai says, "Leaders of INDIA Alliance will come from all over India to attend the 'Maha Rally' at the Ram Lila Maidan tomorrow at 10 am. Leaders of the Opposition are being targeted by the agencies. A sitting CM has been jailed based on someone's mere allegations. Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi from Congress, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray will come from Maharashtra, Akhilesh Yadav from UP, Tejashwi Yadav from Bihar, Derek O' Brien from West Bengal, DMK MP, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Jharkhand CM Champai Soren and Kalpana Soren will also join him, Farooq Abdullah will come, and leaders of left parties will join."

On the INDIA bloc's rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan tomorrow, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh says, "There are 4-5 issues over which this rally has been organised. There is Kejriwal ji, we should also not forget Hemant Soren and several other people who have been targeted. Tomorrow's rally should be seen from the perspective of democracy, not as a rally by one party. Jharkhand CM Champai Soren will be present at the rally tomorrow."

Excise policy case: Here’s what Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said on Delhi Minister Kailash Gahlot being summoned by ED, “Another Delhi government Minister has been summoned (by ED) now. The truth will come forth to the public. (Delhi CM) Arvind Kejriwal and his party’s corrupt face is now in front of everyone.”

Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj says, "The central government is losing the elections, so they are desperate. Now, they want to single-handedly contest the election. Earlier, the democracy of India was known to the whole world. Now, the central government has brought us to this level." On INDIA Bloc to hold 'Maha Rally', he said, "I want to thank all the parties and their leaders on behalf of Aam Aadmi Party. this will give a big message from INDIA alliance to oppose the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal and put an end to dictatorship."

Days after the detention of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot in connection with the excise policy case.

Gahlot, aged 49, who serves as an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA representing Najafgarh, holds portfolios including transport, home and law in the Delhi government led by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal who is currently in custody over the matter.

Days after the detention of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy case, the ED has summoned Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot in the Liquorgate investigation. Gahlot has been asked to appear for questioning and getting his statement recorded.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri dismissed the allegations made by the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress against the BJP-led central government for not doing work in Delhi during the last 10 years and said that the party will soon give an account of the work done in the national capital. "The central government has done a lot of work in Delhi during the last 10 years. We will give an account of all that work. We will inform everyone about the work done in all seven Lok Sabha constituencies. We will provide information regarding the work done in each Lok Sabha constituency through press conferences for seven days," the Union Minister said. Earlier on Friday, Puri attended the inauguration ceremony of the election office for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on the premises of the BJP Delhi office.

Veteran politician Sharad Pawar, who heads the NCP (SP), claimed on Friday that the media across the world has taken note of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest. "It is not good that outsiders are criticising our government. But such a situation was created by the government (itself)," he said in a press conference in Maharashtra's Satara. The Enforcement Directorate on March 21 arrested Kejriwal in the alleged Delhi excise policy-linked scam. He has been remanded in ED's custody till April 1.

A spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said the world body "hopes" that in India and any country that is having elections, people's "political and civil rights" are "protected" and everyone is able to vote in a "free and fair" atmosphere.