Kejriwal says he can't be kept behind bars for long; AAP alleges party office sealed

In his first message from jail, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he cannot be kept behind bars for long and will return soon to fulfil his promises to people, even as the AAP alleged on Saturday that its city office has been ''sealed'' from all sides and it will report the matter to the Election Commission.

Later in the day, Kejriwal moved the high court challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

Sources in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said his legal team would request the court to hear the matter urgently, preferably on Sunday.

In an interview to PTI Videos, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said no one can take Kejriwal's place in the AAP and asserted that if his Delhi counterpart is sent to jail, the party will approach the court seeking permission to set up his office inside the prison.

''It is not written anywhere that a government cannot be run from jail,'' Mann said when asked about Kejriwal's arrest and how will he run his government if he is sent to judicial custody.

A court on Friday remanded Kejriwal in the ED's custody till March 28 ''for his detailed and sustained interrogation'' regarding his role in the Delhi liquor ''scam''.

Addressing a press conference, AAP leader Atishi asked the ED to file a case against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that it received crores of rupees from an accused in the excise policy ''scam'' through electoral bonds.

Atishi asserted that the ED has not been able to establish a money trail against any AAP leader despite multiple raids, arrests and two-year-long investigations in the ''scam''.

''Two days ago, Kejriwal was arrested in connection with the alleged liquor scam on the basis of one Sarath Reddy's statement.

''On November 9, 2022, Reddy had said he did not know Kejriwal, but after the ED arrested him, he changed his statement, saying he knew Kejriwal,'' she said.

AAP leaders, including Delhi ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai and Saurabh Bharadwaj, gathered at the Shaheedi Park, near the ITO intersection, on Saturday -- the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev -- and took a pledge to protect democracy.

On Saturday, Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal, in perhaps her first such public appearance, read out her husband's message sent from the ED's custody, saying he cannot be kept behind bars for long and will return soon to fulfil his promises to people.

The video statement by Sunita Kejriwal, a former Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer who has so far maintained a distance from active politics, was streamed live by the AAP.

''Whether inside or outside, every moment of my life is dedicated to serving the country. Every drop of my blood is dedicated to the country,'' Kejriwal was quoted as saying by his wife.

''Aisi salakhein nahi jo aapke bhai, bete ko zyada din andar rakh sake (no jail can keep your brother, your son inside for long). I will soon come out and fulfil my promises,'' the chief minister said in the message in Hindi.

Kejriwal said he was born to wage struggles and is destined for bigger challenges in the future, so he was not surprised by his arrest.

The chief minister also assured the women of Delhi that he will honour the promise of providing them a monthly honorarium of Rs 1,000 as announced in the budget after coming out of custody.

Sources said Sunita Kejriwal met the chief minister at the ED office.

The AAP alleged that its Delhi office has been ''sealed'' from all sides and that it will report the matter to the EC.

''How can access to a national party's office be stopped during the Lok Sabha election? This (is) against the 'level playing field' promised in the Indian Constitution. We are seeking time with the Election Commission to complain against this,'' Atishi said in a post on X.

Bharadwaj alleged that all access to the party office has been stopped by the BJP-led Centre.

''We will approach the EC. The Centre has closed all access to the AAP head office at ITO, that too in Model Code of Conduct,'' he said in a post on X.

AAP leaders also alleged that Atishi was stopped by police near Barakhambha Road to prevent her from heading home.

Bharadwaj told a press conference that the EC should act as a neutral institution and ensure strict action against police officers.

A Delhi Police officer refuted the charge that the AAP office has been sealed. Police personnel were deployed at DDU Marg to prevent people from gathering as CrPC section 144 has been imposed there, the officer said.

Police said around 500 AAP workers and leaders from Delhi and Punjab gathered at Shaheedi Park on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg.

Meanwhile, the BJP opposed Kejriwal's continuation as the chief minister despite being under arrest, saying it is the most unfortunate moment in the country's political journey and the worst kind of politics.

With AAP leaders strongly defending their party supremo, Union minister Anurag Thakur mockingly said they are competing to replace him as the chief minister but his wife has also joined the race now, a reference to Sunita Kejriwal reading out her husband's message that was also broadcast on news channels.

Mann accused the BJP of indulging in ''political vendetta'' and alleged that the saffron party wants to send every opposition leader to jail to win the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)