On Friday, workers and supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), or Common Man Party, protested against the arrest of its chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Mr Kejriwal’s arrest was due to his alleged role in the controversial Excise Policy Scam in 2021.

The Enforcement Directorate arrested Mr Kejriwal Thursday night after questioning him for hours at his official residence amid tight security.

Several ministers in the Delhi government were also detained by Delhi police on Friday while protesting along with hundreds of AAP supporters.

AAP officials and workers were heard chanting slogans against the Federal Government for “killing democracy.”

Later in the day, judges of the Supreme Court of India are likely to hear a plea from the AAP.

It was alleged that Mr Kejriwal received nearly one billion Indian rupees (around $12 million) for awarding contracts for the sale of liquor in Delhi.

The contracts were awarded after announcing the New Delhi Excise Policy in 2021.

The directorate had served several summonses to Mr Kejriwal over the past couple of months, asking him to appear before it for questioning in the alleged scam.

But he evaded the summons, saying the directorate had no authority to summon or question him without credible evidence.

Meanwhile, similar protests against Kejriwal’s arrest were also reported in Chennai, the capital city of the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

The political developments assume significance as the country will witness the general parliamentary elections on April 19.

Voting in Delhi was scheduled to take place in the sixth phase on May 25.

(Xinhua/NAN)