Call for INDIA bloc to raise issue of Kejriwal’s arrest in Parliament: AAP

“The court said there was no evidence of money being spent on the Goa polls and there was no money trail. It said the ED was working with bias against Kejriwal,” Singh said. (Photo: PTI)

AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Wednesday said he will talk to INDIA Bloc leaders about the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and request them to raise the issue in Parliament as he faces the BJP-led Center accused of abusing investigative agencies to attack opposition parties.

Addressing a press conference here, Singh alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is acting with ill will and political malice against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The AAP leader said he will talk to leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) about the arrest of Kejriwal by the CBI in a corruption case related to the alleged excise duty scam in Delhi and request them to look into the matter parliament to discuss.

“I appeal to the INDIA bloc parties to raise the issue of Kejriwal’s arrest in Parliament. We are talking to other opposition parties. I have also spoken to Uddhav Thackeray. I will talk to Congress leaders. It is a misuse of investigating agencies. All opposition parties will be asked to raise the issue in Parliament,” he said.

The Rajya Sabha MP was asked about the AAP’s differences with the Congress, with the latter criticising the Kejriwal-led party on issues related to Delhi.

“There may be differences at the state level, but at the national level we are together on the issues of the Constitution, democracy and the misuse of probe agencies by the BJP against opposition parties,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Center has discriminated against the Delhi government the most and is using the CBI to frame Kejriwal in a case challenging the functioning of the AAP dispensation in the capital would slow down.

“Yadav has spoken about how the Centre is acting with ill will against the Delhi government. The CPI and the CPI(M) have also extended their support,” Singh said.

The CBI formally arrested Kejriwal in the Delhi excise case on Wednesday. The chief minister was remanded in custody for three days by a city court.

“The CBI is working against us with evil intentions and political malice at the instigation of the BJP. The CBI and ED have been investigating the so-called liquor scam for two years and are saying many things without any evidence. The Supreme Court has granted interim bail to Kejriwal saying he is not a habitual offender and is not a threat to society.

“The court said there was no evidence of money being spent on the Goa polls and there was no money trail. It said the ED was working with bias against Kejriwal,” Singh said.

Questioning the CBI’s intention to arrest Kejriwal, he said the AAP leader was questioned by the federal agency in April last year.

“What did the CBI do fourteen months after interrogating him in April 2023? You suddenly woke up and made Kejriwal a suspect. The CBI said Magunta Reddy had given a statement against Kejriwal in January. said he had nothing to do with Kejriwal and the excise policy,” Singh alleged.

He took a dig at the CBI and said the agency comes up with stories after reading James Bond comic books.

“Kejriwal has been framed in a fake and baseless case,” Singh alleged.

First print: June 26, 2024 | 10:15 PM IST