CBI Raids AAP Leader Amid Gujarat Election Heat

The Central Bureau of Investigation conducted searches at AAP leader Durgesh Pathak's residence, linked to alleged FCRA violations. Amid claims by AAP of a political motive, the raids follow Pathak's new role in the Gujarat elections, pointing to rising tensions between AAP and BJP.

In a dramatic turn of events on Thursday, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) teams descended upon the residence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Durgesh Pathak, initiating a series of searches. According to agency insiders, the investigation centers around alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), a case registered by the CBI.

Echoing sentiments of political targeting, former Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj drew parallels with past incidents, notably during the last Gujarat elections, asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had previously detained AAP leaders under similar circumstances. Bharadwaj revealed this stance via social platform 'X,' linking the raid to Pathak's recent appointment as a key player in the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections.

Amid these developments, AAP's national secretary Sandeep Pathak suggested that the BJP perceives AAP as a mounting challenge in the region, an assertion supported by the timing of the CBI's actions. Furthermore, AAP Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh condemned the raids as intimidation tactics, attributing such moves to the Modi government's strategies against AAP's growing influence in Gujarat. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)