Kejriwal will be arrested in 3-4 days if AAP ties up with Congress, claims Atishi
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Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested in the next three to four days if they continue the alliance with the Congress under the umbrella bloc — INDIA, said Cabinet Minister Atishi on Thursday.
Way to threaten AAP
The ED itself went to court over Kejriwal skipping summons. Why the agency could not wait when the judge is yet to decide whether CM needs to appear before ED? This is only a way to threaten the CM and the AAP. — Atishi, AAP minister
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She claimed that they have received threats of him getting arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) if they continue to be a part of the INDIA bloc for the Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing a press conference, Atishi said, “Sources have said a notice will be issued to the CM by the CBI on Saturday or Sunday and then he will be arrested.” She said it was conveyed by the messengers that the only way to keep Kejriwal out of jail was AAP quitting the opposition bloc INDIA.
“If they arrest the existing leaders of the party, new leaders will emerge who will save the integrity of the democracy,” she added.
Attacking the BJP, she said, “I want to send a message to the BJP through this medium that these threats will not work and an alliance can be made in a democracy.”
On the context of seat-sharing with the Congress in Delhi, she said the alliance is on the verge of finalisation and announcement will be done by both parties in one or two days.
“The seat-sharing for Delhi is already on the verge of announcement. As far as evidence is concerned we do not record every conversation that takes place across multiple channels. Known people have given the message,” she said.
Earlier in the day, she alleged that the ED’s fresh summon to CM Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case is an attempt by the BJP to take “revenge” for the Supreme Court verdict on the Chandigarh mayoral poll in favour of the AAP.
The ED has issued a seventh summons to Kejriwal, directing him to appear before the agency on February 26. Kejriwal has thus far ignored all summons issued by the ED, labelling them as “illegal”.
Atishi stated, “The ED itself went to court over Kejriwal skipping its summons. Why the agency could not wait when the matter is already in court and the judge is yet to decide whether Kejriwal needs to appear before the ED or whether these summons are legal or not?” The senior AAP leader said, “The ED is not able to wait because this is not any legal proceeding or investigation; this is only a way to intimidate and threaten the CM and the AAP.”
She further mentioned that since the Supreme Court declared the Chandigarh Mayoral election results, there have been reports suggesting that the ED and the CBI are preparing to issue further summons. The SC had nullified the result of the January 30 polls due to findings that the elections were rigged by presiding officer Anil Masih.
Atishi stated, “The CM has responded to all summons from the ED. We have raised legal questions about all summons sent so far by the ED, questioning the basis for these to the CM. However, the ED has not replied to any of our queries. Whether it’s the Chandigarh mayoral election or the Lok Sabha elections, wherever the BJP will try to weaken democracy and the Constitution, we will confront them,” said Atishi.