Kejriwal becomes first sitting CM to be arrested but who were the other ex-CMs who met a similar fate?

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday night, 21 March in connection with an alleged liquor policy scam, making him the first sitting CM to be arrested by any agency.

The arrest came after the Delhi High Court refused to grant Kejriwal protection from the ED's coercive action.

Who were some other ministers/ex-CMs who had met a similar fate or worst? Here is a list:

1. Hemant Soren

The most recent one was Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president Hemant Soren, who was forced to step down as Jharkhand CM before being arrested by the ED in a money laundering case related to an alleged land scam.

The allegations of money laundering against the JMM leader pertain to the alleged illegal possession of certain immovable assets apart from his purported links with members of the 'land mafia'. The investigation is linked to a "huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia" in Jharkhand, according to the central probe agency.

Soren has been in jail since his arrest.

2. J Jayalalithaa

Historically, former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa was the first to be arrested in 1996, on charges of corruption in the purchase of TV sets for villagers. She later became the first CM to be convicted in a disproportionate assets case in 2014, as per report from Indian Express.

3. M Karunanidhi

In another case of alleged "political vendetta", then DMK chief M Karunanidhi was arrested by the Tamil Nadu police in 2001, leading to the arrest of serving Union ministers Murasoli Maran and T R Baalu  were arrested for obstructing public servants performing their duties.

4. Lalu Prasad Yadav

Former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad faced an arrest warrant in the fodder scam in 1997, leading to his resignation and subsequent jail time.

The fodder scam refers to illegal withdrawals worth Rs 950 crore from various government treasuries for fictitious expenditure on fodder and other requirements for cattle during Lalu Prasad Yadav's term as Bihar chief minister.

He has been in and out of jail six times since then.

5. Shibu Soren

JMM chief Shibu Soren, Hemant’s father, was convicted in 2006 for conspiracy to kidnap and murder his private secretary, resulting in his resignation from the Union Cabinet and jail time.

However, Shibu Soren was later acquitted by the Delhi High Court in 2018, with the Supreme Court upholding his acquittal due to lack of evidence.

With inputs from PTI.