New Delhi
India summoned a senior diplomat from the German Embassy to express strong dissatisfaction with comments regarding the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. George Enzweiler, the Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy, was seen leaving the Ministry of External Affairs office in the capital on Saturday.
India labeled the remarks as blatant interference in its internal affairs after the German foreign office commented that it had taken note of Kejriwal’s arrest and expected adherence to standards regarding the independence of the judiciary and basic democratic principles.
Sebastian Fischer, a spokesperson for Germany’s foreign ministry, stated, We have taken note of the case. India is a democratic country. We assume and expect that the standards relating to the independence of the judiciary and fundamental democratic principles will also apply in this case. He emphasized Kejriwal’s entitlement to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence.
The Enforcement Directorate accused Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party chief, of being the mastermind behind an alleged excise scam involving other ministers of the Delhi government. Kejriwal was remanded to six days of ED custody by a special court on Friday until March 28.
