Delhi Cops Prep For Big AAP Protests Against Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest

New Delhi:

Battlelines are drawn after the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in the alleged liquor policy scam, with his Aam Aadmi Party launching huge protests in Delhi as well as across the country.

State ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj, who were leading a mega protest march in Delhi, and other protesters have been detained. Dramatic visuals from ITO showed Atishi being dragged away by the cops to a bus meant to take the protesters to the nearest police station.

As part of security arrangements, the police have closed all roads leading to the AAP headquarters. The AAP has summoned all its office-bearers, ministers and councillors at the main office at 10 am.

Water cannons and paramilitary forces have also been deployed on the DDU road, which leads to the BJP headquarters. The ITO Metro station will stay shut during 8 am-6 pm today on the advice of Delhi Police, the Delhi Metro said.

Mr Kejriwal, who had challenged his arrest in the Supreme Court yesterday, withdrew his petition today and informed that they will approach a lower court first. The probe agency, meanwhile, will produce the Chief Minister in an ED court.

Mr Kejriwal’s arrest, just weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, has unleashed waves of protest by thousands of party workers and condemnation from the Opposition camp. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit Mr Kejriwal’s family today, said sources.

Read | Explained: Why Enforcement Directorate Arrested Arvind Kejriwal

The AAP has said that Mr Kejriwal will continue to discharge his chief ministerial duties from jail – a prospect that may create a constitutional crisis, legal experts have said.

Earlier in the day, Atishi addressed a press conference and called the arrest a “political conspiracy by the BJP”.

“It is the first time that a sitting Chief Minister has been arrested by central government. In the country’s history, it is the first time that after the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections, the national convenor of a national party has been arrested. Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest is BJP’s political conspiracy,” she said.

The Arrest

The Enforcement Directorate, which is investigating a money laundering angle in the alleged liquor policy scam, had called Mr Kejriwal a “conspirator”.

The probe team turned up at Mr Kejriwal’s home last evening with a search warrant after he skipped nine summonses by the central agency. Later in the day, the Delhi High Court refused to grant him protection from arrest.

Read | AAP Says Arvind Kejriwal Will Remain Chief Minister. How Feasible Is That?

The agency arrested him around 9 pm after a search and questioning session and took him to the ED office. His and his wife’s phones were also confiscated and data was transferred from two tablets and a laptop at his home. Mr Kejriwal spent the night in an ED lock-up after a medical check-up from the RML hospital, sources said.

At a post-midnight press conference, AAP called a nationwide protest against the BJP on Friday. In Delhi, the protest will take place outside the BJP headquarters.

The scrapped excise policy was introduced to bring an overhaul to the liquor business in Delhi and promised a more modern shopping experience. But Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s order to investigate alleged irregularities in the new policy prompted its cancellation. 

Mr Kejriwal’s arrest comes less than a week after BRS leader K Kavitha was taken into custody in the liquor policy case. Mr Kejriwal was named as a conspirator for the first time after Ms Kavitha’s arrest. Two prominent AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are already in jail in connection with the case.