Appeal to INDIA bloc to raise issue of Kejriwal's arrest in Parliament: AAP

AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Wednesday said he will talk to INDIA bloc leaders over Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest and request them to raise the issue in Parliament as he accused the BJP-led Centre of misusing probe agencies to target opposition parties.

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

The AAP leader said he will talk to leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) over Kejriwal's arrest by the CBI in a corruption case linked to the alleged Delhi excise scam and request them to raise the issue in Parliament.

 

"I appeal to the INDIA bloc parties to raise the issue related to Kejriwal's arrest in Parliament. We are talking to other opposition parties. I have also talked to Uddhav Thackeray. I will talk to Congress leaders. It is a misuse of probe agencies. All the opposition parties will be requested to raise the issue in Parliament," he said.

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

"There can be differences at the state level, but we are together at the national level on the issues of the Constitution, democracy and 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 Centre has discriminated the most against the Delhi government and is using the CBI to frame Kejriwal in a case to stall the functioning of the AAP dispensation in the capital.

"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 policy case on Wednesday. The chief minister was sent to the agency's custody for three days by a city court.

"The CBI is working against us with ill-will and political malice at the BJP's instance. The CBI and the ED are probing the so-called liquor scam for two years and saying many things without any evidence. The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal, saying he is not a habitual offender and does not pose a threat to the society.

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

He questioned the CBI's intention of arresting Kejriwal and said the AAP leader was questioned by the federal agency in April last year.

"What was the CBI doing for 14 months after questioning him in April 2023? You woke up all of a sudden and made Kejriwal an accused. The CBI said there was a statement against Kejriwal by Magunta Reddy in January. He had earlier, in his statements, said he had nothing to do with Kejriwal and the excise policy," Singh claimed.

He took a dig at the CBI, saying the agency is coming up with stories after reading James Bond comic books.

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