Controversy Erupts Over Kejriwal's Arrest: AAP Leader Calls It 'Illegal'

Sanjay Singh accuses BJP of using the ED and CBI to illegally arrest Delhi's former Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, without MHA's approval. Kejriwal was released on bail in September. The controversy casts a shadow on Delhi's political landscape as Assembly polls approach.

Sanjay Singh, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, has accused the BJP of orchestrating the 'illegal and unauthorized' arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the party's leader, in March. Singh claimed that Kejriwal's detention by the Enforcement Directorate took place under BJP pressure, without necessary sanction from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

At a press briefing, Singh highlighted that the delayed request for MHA's sanction demonstrates the political motivations behind Kejriwal's arrest. Kejriwal, Delhi's former chief minister, was initially taken into custody by the ED over an excise policy-linked money laundering case, then subsequently arrested by the CBI.

Singh also criticized the BJP for creating a 'dictatorial atmosphere' in the country and warned of electoral repercussions. Kejriwal's arrest, he argued, was aimed at destabilizing the AAP government in Delhi. The Supreme Court eventually granted Kejriwal bail, leading to his release from Tihar jail in September.

(With inputs from agencies.)