Hours after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal declined to attend for interrogation in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor scam, leaders of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party tweeted that he might be arrested in the morning after a raid at his residence. According to party sources, they are prepared for any situation. There is no such information, according to sources in the Enforcement Directorate, the central body looking into the money laundering issue and which has called Mr. Kejriwal for questioning on multiple times.

“News coming in that ED is going to raid @ArvindKejriwal’s residence tmrw morning. Arrest likely,” Senior party leader and Delhi minister Aatishi wrote on X, the former Twitter platform.

On the handles of prominent party figures Saurabh Bhardwaj, Jasmine Shah, and Sandeep Pathak, similar posts were observed.

Mr. Kejriwal has missed three summonses to appear for interrogation. Today was the last time he declined to show up. In addition, he had declined to show up for the investigation team on November 2 and December 21. As per the regulations, he can be arrested and a non-bailable warrant issued against him at any time.

He was interrogated by the Central Bureau of Investigation for nine hours in April. He is not listed in the case as an accused party.

Mr. Kejriwal maintains that the summons are “motivated” and questions if he is being called as a suspect or a witness in the specific case. According to his party, the idea was to prevent him from running in the national election that is scheduled for later this year.

With Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Satyendra Jain, three of its leaders, incarcerated, the AAP has long been prepared for this possibility and has deliberated over potential next steps.  They even want Mr. Kejriwal to continue serving as Chief Minister while incarcerated.

According to the CBI, spirits companies were involved in the formulation of the excise policy, which would have resulted in a profit margin of 12%. It called the spirits lobby the “South Group” because it had paid payments, some of which went to government employees. The kickbacks were purportedly laundered by the Enforcement Directorate.

The AAP allegedly utilized the money from the purported scam to finance its extensive campaign in Gujarat, where it garnered 12.91 percent of the vote and made a name for itself as a national party, according to the BJP.

The Delhi Chief Minister has also been targeted by the party, which claims he is “shaking in fear” and isn’t going before the agency because he is aware that he is the “kingpin” of the purported liquor policy scandal.

SOURCE: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/arvind-kejriwal-to-be-arrested-today-aap-leaders-raise-alarm-4795407