AAP claims BJP wants to finish party, after Kejriwal summoned by ED

AAP minister Atishi Marlena on Tuesday launched an attack on the BJP, a day after fresh summons were issued to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal to appear before the ED.

The AAP leader said that the BJP fears the Aam Aadmi Party, which is why central agencies are targeting AAP leaders.

Addressing a Press Conference, AAP minister Atishi Marlena said "We are getting information that when Arvind Kejriwal appears before ED on November 2, ED will arrest and put him in jail. BJP and the PM want to finish AAP. Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested not because there is any case against him, it is because the PM fears him."

Atishi alleged political rivalry the reason behind arrests made by central agencies in the Delhi Excise Policy scam.

"BJP and PM Modi know that they cannot defeat AAP in polls. Now to finish AAP, its leaders are being put in jail. Putting all the big leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party behind bars means only one thing that they (BJP) to finish AAP", said AAP minister Atishi.

Atishi alleged that after the AAP ministers, leaders of the INDIA alliance will also be targeted by the BJP.

"The targeting of those who speak against BJP and the misuse of ED & CBI will not end on Arvind Kejriwal, but all leaders of Opposition and INDIA alliance will also be put in jail. After Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, the next number will be of Hemant Soren, then Tejashwi Yadav, then Pinarayi Vijayan and then Stalin" she said.

BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad however rubbished the AAP allegations saying they were guilty of corruption.

"AAP alleges that the central government is trying to finish them. But AAP is ending themselves on their own... You will commit mistakes and do corruption, and if an investigation is being done, then you have a problem" Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on November 2, to question him in connection with its ongoing probe into the Delhi excise policy case.

Kejriwal was earlier summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in April this year, in connection with the case.However, Kejriwal was not named as an accused in the first information report (FIR) filed by the CBI on August 17, last year.

In February 2023, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was also arrested by the CBI for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi's new excise policy.

Meanwhile, the Rouse Avenue Court has extended the Judicial custody of Aam Aadmi Party leader and MP Sanjay Singh till November 10 in connection with the alleged liquor scam case.