India summons US diplomat over state dept remarks on Kejriwal’s arrest

India on Wednesday summoned a senior US diplomat and lodged a strong protest against a US state department official’s remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Ministry of External Affairs officials summoned the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena at its office in South Block here. The meeting lasted for more than 30 minutes.

Reports had it that a US state department official had said that Washington ”encouraged a fair, transparent and timely legal process for chief minister Kejriwal”. The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy ‘scam’.

The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 that was later scrapped.