The Karnataka unit of the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday staged a protest in the city condemning the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and party leader Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal was on Thursday night arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an excise policy-linked money laundering case.
The arrest, the first of a serving Chief Minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convener from any coercive action by the central probe agency.
Led by the AAP state unit president H N Chandrashekar, popularly known as 'Mukhyamantri Chandru', the party workers observed ‘Black Day’ at the Freedom Park. Speaking on the occasion, Chandrashekar alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi got Kejriwal arrested as he could not "digest his growing popularity across the country."
“What else can be expected from those who say they will change the Constitution itself. The central government has planned to punish those who are against the BJP by using organisations like the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate,” he alleged.
Kejriwal arrested in Delhi liquor policy scam
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested in the Delhi liquor policy scam late on Thursday night. Earlier in the day the ED alleged that the AAP national convenor was the 'kingpin' of the case and conspired with other leaders in corruption.
During the hearing in the Rose Avenue court, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, on behalf of the ED, alleged that Kejriwal was the 'key conspirator' in the Delhi excise policy case and worked with other leaders in the matter. The ED also alleged that AAP leader Manish Sisodia also played a key role in the corruption case and the kickbacks through the liquor policy were used for the party's campaign during the Goa Assembly elections.
(With inputs from PTI)
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