Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest a month before national election comes under increasing global scrutiny.
By Al Jazeera team
India has strongly objected to remarks made by the United States and Germany on the arrest of key opposition leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal a month before its national election.
“India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted,” India’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
“In diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others. This responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents.”
Kejriwal was arrested by India’s main financial investigation agency last week on corruption charges. His Aam Aadmi Party (Common Man’s Party or AAP), which governs the national capital territory and the northern state of Punjab, denies the allegation, calling it a “fabricated case”.
On Monday, a US State Department spokesperson said it was closely following reports of Kejriwal’s arrest.
“We encourage a fair, transparent, and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal,” the spokesperson said in response to an emailed query about the case.
This story was originally published in aljazeera.com. Read the full story here.