Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday raised alarm saying that the Enforcement Directorate could raid Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence and arrest him on Thursday. This comes a day after Kejriwal skipped his third summon by the enforcement agency to appear before it in connection with the liquor policy case.
"News coming in that ED is going to raid @ArvindKejriwal’s residence tommorrow morning. Arrest likely," said AAP leader and Delhi minister Atishi on X. A similar alarm was sounded by party leader and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj.
"Sources confirm that ED is going to raid the residence of CM Arvind Kejriwal tomorrow morning," said Vice chairperson of Dialogue & Development Commission of Delhi, Jasmine Shah. "He is likely to be arrested," he added.
After skipping to appear before the ED, Kejriwal on Wednesday wrote a letter to the federal agency seeking a questionnaire and the intent of the summons served to him. The AAP leader also
stated in the letter that Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled on January 19 and that he has to participate in the Republic Day programme on January 26 as Delhi Chief Minister.
“It is a matter of concern that despite my comprehensive response(s) bringing to your notice critical dimensions and legal objections involved in issuing summons to me to appear 'in person' in your purported exercise of powers under Section 50 of PMLA, you have chosen not to respond," Kejriwal said the in letter.
He further wrote: "Therefore I once again reiterate the following aspects which are the core of the earlier responses…Any such impression that Enforcement Directorate may have gathered about the political party falling in the category of ‘artificial juridical person’ is palpably wrong and cannot qualify the test of legality. Similar notices without any specific details have been held illegal and quashed by courts.”
Following the alarm sounded by AAP leaders, security has been heigtened outside Kejriwal's residence, reported ANI on Thursday.