Chief of the Delhi BJP Says Arvind Kejriwal Is “Running Away” From the Investigation Agency

New Delhi: After the AAP announced that Arvind Kejriwal would be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, Delhi BJP head Virendra Sachedva attacked the Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi head Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Mr. Sachedva called the AAP a “procession of thieves” or “Choro ki Baraat” for their clamor and grief for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is evading the investigating agency.

The Delhi BJP president, in an interview with ANI, said, “I have been watching the ‘Choro ki Baraat’ (procession of thieves) since morning, making noise and showing my condolences for Kejriwal.” What transpired the last time you committed corruption? Kejriwal, you are evading the investigative agency. The Enforcement Directorate has contacted you three times, but you haven’t answered. You are now lamenting the possibility of being arrested. Chief Minister of Delhi, you have an obligation to abide by the regulations, but you are not doing so.”

He went on to say that the Delhi Chief Minister had to provide the Enforcement Directorate with supporting documentation since he professes to be an honest guy.

Congressman Udit Raj proposed that the Chief Minister of Delhi appear before the Enforcement Directorate to address the accusations.

Misuse of the Enforcement Directorate is occurring. The inquiry turned up nothing that supported the accusations. Kejriwal needs to go before the Enforcement Directorate to address the accusations. Then, nothing will remain except his memory. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul went as well,” Mr. Raj said.

With the AAP claiming that Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, security around the Chief Minister’s residence in Delhi has been increased. The AAP hasn’t changed its position on its assertions, however. “It is evident that they (BJP) want to finish Aam Aadmi Party and arrest Arvind Kejriwal before Lok Sabha elections,” AAP leader Jasmine Shah said today. He is prepared to assist with the court proceedings. He has received unlawful summonses up to this point. We have learned that Arvind Kejriwal will be detained after a raid, according to reliable sources.”

AAP politician and Delhi’s Law and PWD Minister, Atishi, had said on social media on Wednesday: “We’re hearing that the Enforcement Directorate is planning to search @ArvindKejriwal’s home tomorrow morning. Most likely, arrest.”

Saurabh Bharadwaj, the Delhi Health Minister, also commented on X a short while after Atishi’s tweet, citing rumors that Mr. Kejriwal had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.

“It is heard that tomorrow morning, Enforcement Directorate is going to reach the house of Chief Minister Kejriwal and arrest him,” Mr Bharadwaj said in his post.

The Chief Minister of Delhi disregarded the Enforcement Directorate’s third summons, which was sent to him on Wednesday. In relation to the suspected Delhi liquor scandal, the Enforcement Directorate sent Chief Minister Kejriwal with a third summons on December 22 of last year, requesting that he appear in person on January 3.

In his response to the Enforcement Directorate, Mr. Kejriwal said that he was willing to assist with the inquiry but that he would not be coming on the scheduled day since he considered the notice to be “illegal.” Mr. Kejriwal also questioned the agency about why it hadn’t replied to his previous responses on the agency’s inquiry after receiving a summons and raising certain concerns.

“As a premier investigating agency, the non-disclosure and non-response approach adopted by you cannot sustain the test of law, equity, or justice,” said the Chief Minister of Delhi in a written response to the Enforcement Directorate. Your intransigence amounts to taking on the roles of judge, jury, and executioner simultaneously, which is unacceptable in a nation where the rule of law is upheld.”

“In these circumstances, I urge you to respond to my earlier response and clarify the position so as to enable me to understand the real intent, ambit, nature, sweep and scope of the purported inquiry/investigation for which I am being called” he said in his reply.

The government agency first requested an appearance from the Delhi Chief Minister on November 2, but he declined, claiming the notice was “vague, motivated, and unsustainable in law.” He said that it seems the aforementioned summons was issued for unrelated purposes and had political motivations.

In the meanwhile, the AAP questioned why the notice was sent out so close to the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.