AAP goes into a huddle as leaders air fears Kejriwal could be arrested today

Minister Atishi, too, made a similar post: “News coming in that ED is going to raid Arvind Kejriwal’s residence tomorrow morning. Arrest likely.”

Senior leader Jasmine Shah wrote that “sources confirm ED is going to raid the residence… tomorrow morning. He is likely to be arrested”.

Sources in Delhi Police, meanwhile, said that they had made arrangements outside the ED’s headquarters for Wednesday morning. In light of the social media posts by AAP leaders, the North district police decided to make security arrangements outside the CM residence .

Kejriwal has been summoned by the ED thrice so far – most recently on December 21 – and was asked to appear for questioning on Wednesday.

He, in a letter to the ED assistant director, cited the Rajya Sabha elections, Republic Day celebrations, and the Enforcement Directorate’s approach of “non-disclosure” and “non-response” as reasons for not appearing for questioning before the probe agency in the excise policy case.

His party colleagues, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and communications in-charge Vijay Nair, were earlier arrested in connection with the case, filed over the now scrapped Delhi excise policy.

While former Sisodia was arrested in February last year after being questioned by CBI in relation to its case in the matter, he was later taken into custody by ED in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act case it had filed. Singh was arrested by the investigating agency on October 4 after being questioned at his home. Nair, meanwhile, was arrested by CBI in November 2022, followed by his arrest by ED.

In a letter addressed to the ED assistant director, Kejriwal said the Election Commission of India had decided to hold the elections to the Rajya Sabha from the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The nominations started on Wednesday, and voting will take place on January 19, he said.

He further wrote that he would “be happy to respond to any questionnaire” if the ED sought any information or documents in his possession.

Kejriwal was issued the first summons in October, wherein the ED asked him to appear for questioning on November 2. The second summons was sent on December 18, asking him to appear on December 21. The third summons asked him to appear on Wednesday.

Each time, Kejriwal questioned the validity of the summons and skipped questioning. While referring to the two letters sent to the agency in the past, he said it was a “matter of concern” that no response was received.

In his previous responses, Kejriwal had called the summons “motivated” and alleged they were “issued for vexatious considerations”. He also asked in what capacity he was being summoned – “as a witness or a suspect”.

In Wednesday’s response, he said the ED’s silence on these aspects led him to “infer that you are maintaining unwarranted secrecy and are being opaque and arbitrary in the present matter”.

AAP, BJP trade charges

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP of hatching a conspiracy to arrest Kejriwal so he could not campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a press conference, he said, “… Why is he being summoned just before the polls? The Centre is hatching a conspiracy to arrest Kejriwal before the polls.”
Minister Atishi said: “The ED and CBI have become political weapons of the BJP, being used to intimidate and threaten opposition leaders. This is a fact – all charges and summons against opposition leaders are cleared as soon as they join the BJP.”

Hitting back, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, “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.”