MLA poaching charge: Two days after the drama outside the residence of CM Arvind Kejriwal when a Crime Branch team arrived to serve him, the Chief Minister on Monday claimed that Delhi Police was 'disrespected' by their political masters and he found it very weird and felt very sorry for them.
The drama unfolded at Kejriwal’s residence in the national capital on Saturday (January 3) when a Crime Branch team arrived to serve him a notice in connection with allegations that the BJP had tried to poach seven AAP MLAs by offering them Rs 25 crore each.
Arvind Kejriwal on Delhi Police notice to him
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, Kejriwal claimed that the notice from the Delhi Police Crime Branch regarding his allegations about BJP's attempts to 'poach' AAP MLAs does not mention any FIR. He emphasized that the nation will not progress through such theatrics.
He further alleged that the Delhi Police officers were coerced into engaging in 'theatrics' by their 'political bosses,' which he found quite 'insulting' for them. "I pity those officers. Young officers join police with a lot of idealism that they will protect women and reduce crime. They never think that they will be made to indulge in theatrics. Is that why they joined the police? The officer must have been feeling bad. This insult was caused by their political bosses," he said.
"They are asking who tried to poach AAP MLAs. The very people who are sending Crime Branch officers are those who tried to poach our MLAs," he added.
Delhi Police serves notice to Kejriwal
The Crime Branch officials of the Delhi Police on Saturday served a notice on the Delhi Chief Minister, asking him to reply within three days in a probe into his claims that the BJP attempted to poach seven AAP MLAs.
The Crime Branch team also served a notice to Delhi Minister Atishi in connection with a probe into the Delhi minister's allegations that the BJP was attempting to "poach" AAP MLAs, asking her to reply within a day.
According to the notice, the Crime Branch has asked Kejriwal and Atishi to give information on the allegations of poaching bid levelled against the BJP, given statements by them suggest they were privy to certain information regarding commission of a cognisable offence.
BJP's Operation Lotus 2.0
Last week, Kejriwal had alleged on X that the BJP offered Rs 25 crore each to seven AAP MLAs to quit the party in order to topple his government.
Shortly after Kejriwal, Atishi addressed a press conference and claimed that the BJP had approached several AAP MLAs with bribes and threats in a bid to induce defection.
"BJP has started 'Operation Lotus 2.0', and is trying to topple the democratically elected AAP government in Delhi. 7 MLAs of the AAP have been contacted by the BJP, and have been told, that Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested soon, after which AAP MLAs will be rifted apart. They are in touch with 21 of our MLAs, using whom they aim to topple the Delhi government. Those 7 MLAs have been offered Rs 25 crores each... Operation Lotus is the tactic used by the BJP to come into power in states, where they are not democratically elected... Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh are examples," the AAP leader had said.
"In Delhi, they are going to our MLAs and saying that Kejriwal is going to go to jail and then we will call all the MLAs to ourselves and form the BJP government in Delhi, but I want to say that the Aam Aadmi Party is not afraid. Not a single MLA is afraid," she added.
Atishi also revealed that the AAP possesses a recording of one such "Operation Lotus 2.0" conversation, hinting at its potential release if necessary."Currently, 7 MLAs have been offered by BJP; we have the recording of one of them and will release it when required," said Atishi.
However, the BJP has rejected the AAP's claim of Operation Lotus 2.0."Arvind Kejriwal is again lying as he has done since the last seven times. Not once has been able to tell which phone number was used to contact them, who contacted them, and where was the meeting held. he just gives out statements and goes into hiding... His partners are in jail, and he is repeatedly avoiding ED summons because he knows he does not have answers to the ED questions..." said BJP leader Kapil Mishra.
AAP won 62 out of 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly polls. The BJP got just 8 seats, while the rest of the parties including the Congress, drew a blank.
