AAP claims Arvind Kejriwal to be arrested today, security tightened around ED headquarters

AAP claims Arvind Kejriwal to be arrested today, security tightened around ED headquarters

Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi claimed on Wednesday that Delhi Chief Minister and party convener Arvind Kejriwal will be raided by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday, and his subsequent arrest was likely. “News coming in that ED is going to raid Arvind Kejriwal’s residence tomorrow morning. Arrest likely,” Atishi tweeted late last evening.

Similar claims were also made by other party leaders including AAP general secreatry Sandeep Pathak and party leader Jasmine Shah. The claims came on the bacd of Kejriwal skipping the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate asking him to appear before it for questioning in the Delhi excise policy case on Wednesday. This was the third time that Kejriwal skipped appearance before the agency, making him liable to be arrested.

— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) January 3, 2024

AAP leaders said top party leaders went into a huddle as buzz around Kejriwal’s arrest grew stronger. “Senior leaders reached the CM’s House late evening. The news is filtering in as of now,” The Indian Express quoted a senior party leader as saying.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened around the ED’s Delhi headquarters iun light of the social media posts by AAP leaders. After skipping the third summons, Kejriwal wrote to the ED Assistant Director citing Rajya Sabha elections, Republic Day preparations and the Enforcement Directorate’s approach of “non-disclosure” and “non-response” as reasons for skipping appearance before the probe agency.

News coming out that ED is likely to raid and arrest Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal. In such eventuality request everyone to stay calm.

— Dr. Sandeep Pathak (@SandeepPathak04) January 3, 2024

Two of Kejriwal’s colleagues — Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh — have already been arrested in connection with the alleged liquor policy case. Kejriwal has so far skipped summons thrice, the most recent one on Wednesday. He was earlier asked to appear before the agency on December 18 and November 2. Kejriwal has termed the summonses as “illegal”, “motivated” and alleged they were “issued for vexatious considerations”.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj has accused the BJP of orchestrating the ED summons as part of a conspiracy to derail the party’s Lok Sabha campaign. “Why is he being summoned just before the polls? The Centre is hatching a conspiracy to arrest Kejriwal before the polls,” he said addressing a press conference.

सुनने में आ रहा है कल सुबह मुख्यमंत्री केजरीवाल जी के घर ED पहुँच कर उन्हें गिरफ़्तार करने वाली है ।

— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) January 3, 2024

The BJP, on the other hand, claims that the AAP leader skipping summons thrice proves he is dishonest and corrupt. “The same Kejriwal who entered Indian politics saying if someone is accused of something, they should resign, today feels that whatever staunchly dishonest Arvind Kejriwal says is right. ED has sent three summons to (him), but he has not yet appeared before the agency on some pretext or the other. This proves Kejriwal is deeply dishonest and corrupt,” BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said.