Delhi's Directorate of Vigilance has terminated the services of Bibhav Kumar, the private secretary of jailed chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Special Secretary Vigilance, YVVJ Rajshekhar passed the order directing his removal, citing a case of 2007 pending against him.

“The Competent Authority hereby terminates the engagement of Bibhav Kumar, in terms of the provisions of Rule 5 of the Central Civil Services (Temporary Service) Rules, 1965, with immediate effect," the order read.

This comes just days after the Delhi high court upheld Kejriwal's arrest in the money laundering case stemming from the alleged excise scam, saying the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was left with "little option" after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation.

The high court had also cited the ED's claim that Kejriwal conspired and was actively involved in use and concealment of the proceeds of crime to reject his petition against his arrest.

The high court had chastised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, who was claimed to be involved in money laundering in his "personal capacity" and in his capacity as the national convenor of the political party, for questioning the timing of his arrest and underlined that an investigation against the "classes and masses" cannot be different.

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