Encourage fair, transparent and legal process: US comments again on Kejriwal's arrest
New Delhi/UNI: United States reiterated its call for fair, transparent, and timely legal processes a day after India summoned a US diplomat and objected to remarks on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest.
In a response to a question during the State Department briefing about India summoning Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena in Delhi and the freezing of Congress's bank accounts, Miller said, "We continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
"We are also aware of the Congress party's allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections."
"We encourage fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of these issues," Miller added.
India on Tuesday strongly objected to the US State Department's remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and said New Delhi expects other states to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others.
"We take strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.
"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," read the statement.
"India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted," the statement said.
Kejriwal arrested ahead of Indian general polls
Kejriwal has become the first serving Chief Minister to be arrested and is the third senior leader from the party to be arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam.
The arrest comes hours after a team from the ED questioned him at his residence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The arrest was made just weeks before India voted in the first phase of the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Indian Parliament) polls on April 19.