Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj asserted on Wednesday evening, based on undisclosed information, that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely to arrest Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday. Kejriwal chose not to comply with the agency's summons related to the Delhi Excise Policy case on Wednesday.
Through the social media platform X, AAP leader and Delhi's Law and PWD Minister, Atishi, conveyed, "News coming in that ED is going to raid@ArvindKejriwal's residence tomorrow morning. Arrest likely."
Bhardwaj shared a similar message, stating, "It is heard that tomorrow morning, ED is going to reach the house of Chief Minister Kejriwal and arrest him.”
These assertions surfaced subsequent to the Delhi Chief Minister's non-compliance with the third summons issued by the ED on Wednesday. The ED had issued its third summons to CM Kejriwal on December 22 of the previous year, concerning the alleged Delhi liquor scam case, directing him to appear before the agency on January 3.
According to reports, in his response to the ED, Kejriwal expressed willingness to cooperate with the investigation but refused to appear on the specified date, deeming the notice "unlawful."
Kejriwal also questioned the timing of the notice, suggesting it was a ploy to hinder his election campaign leading up to the 2024 parliamentary elections.
The initial summons from the central agency had called upon the Delhi CM to appear on November 2, but he abstained, contending that the notice was "ambiguous, biased, and legally unsustainable." He further alleged that the summons seemed politically motivated and issued for ulterior motives.
Simultaneously, the AAP raised concerns about the timing of the notice just prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
