New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement Saturday that it summoned Georg Enzweiler, German Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, to express its “strong protest” over remarks made by a spokesperson of the German foreign ministry on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
“We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary,” said the MEA.
It went on to add, “India is a vibrant and robust democracy with rule of law. As in all legal cases in the country, and elsewhere in the democratic world, law will take its own course in the instant matter. Biased assumptions made on this account are most unwarranted.”
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Kejriwal was arrested by the ED Thursday in connection with its probe into alleged irregularities in the Delhi government’s now-withdrawn excise policy. Given the timing of the arrest, the Opposition has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misusing agencies to browbeat opposition leaders weeks before the first phase of the general election.
On Friday, Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja remanded Kejriwal to six days in ED custody, till 28 March.
Asked to comment on the arrest, Sebastian Fischer, a spokesperson for the Germany foreign ministry had told reporters Friday: “We have taken note of the case. India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards regarding the independence of the judiciary and basic democratic principles will also apply in this case.”
He added, “Like every accused, Mr Kejriwal is entitled to a fair, impartial trial. This includes that he can make use of all existing legal remedies without restriction. The presumption of innocence is a central element of the rule of law and must apply to it.”
Germany is India’s biggest trading partner in Europe. The two countries have since the year 2000 shared a ‘strategic partnership’ which was further strengthened with the first Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC) held in Delhi in May 2011. Modi visited Germany in June 2022 at the invitation of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to attend the G7 Summit.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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