New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday mounted a blistering attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of being the “kingpin” of the alleged liquor policy scam and saying that “handcuffs” are not far away. The BJP’s reaction came after the Enforcement Directorate raided AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s residence in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy. Premises of some others connected to the case are also being covered, officials said.
During a press conference at the BJP headquarters, party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that Dinesh Arora, one of the accused in the Delhi excise policy case, had told the probe agency that he had paid a bribe of Rs 32 lakh by cheque to Kejriwal at his residence in the presence of Sanjay Singh. “Arora has admitted that he paid Rs 32 lakh as a bribe to Kejriwal by a cheque on being asked by Sanjay Singh at the meeting to pay for the party fund,” Bhatia said.
#WATCH | Delhi: BJP Leader Gaurav Bhatia says, “The public of the nation and Delhi has understood that if there’s a kingpin in the Liquor scam it is Arvind Kejriwal on whose indications the Liquor scam in Delhi took place…On the indication of Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh says… pic.twitter.com/D0SUIJyiMK
— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023
He claimed Kejriwal was a “sinner” and the “kingpin” of the alleged liquor scam and accused Singh of being involved in the case as the AAP supremo’s “left hand”. “His right hand Manish Sisodia has been languishing in jail for the past several months. Both the left hand and the right hand of Kejriwal are involved in corruption. It’s Kejriwal who forces his MPs and ministers to commit corruption to fill his coffers,” Bhatia charged.
“Handcuffs are getting closer to Arvind Kejriwal… I dare Kejriwal to hold a press conference and clarify if he has not received a bribe of Rs 32 lakh by cheque from Arora,” the BJP leader added.
BJP Protests Against Kejriwal, Several Detained
Meanwhile, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers are holding a massive protest outside the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) office in the national capital demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after the Enforcement Directorate raids at the residence of its Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said, “We have gathered here demanding resignation from Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Former Delhi ministers Satyendar Jain and Manish Sisodia have been in jail for a long time and Arvind Kejriwal is trying to save them. He is the mastermind of all of them…”
According to reports, several BJP workers have been detained by the Delhi Police for protesting outside the AAP office and demanding the resignation of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
#WATCH | Delhi Police detains BJP workers protesting outside AAP office demanding the resignation of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. pic.twitter.com/EenKIQ2Cvj
— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023
BJP Resorting To Desperate Measures: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the ED raids on AAP leader Sanjay Singh’s residence showed that the BJP was resorting to desperate measures as it stares at a defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Many such raids will take place but there is nothing to be scared of, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday morning raided AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s home in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy, officials said. Premises of some others connected to the case are also being covered, they said.
“They have been probing the alleged liquor scam for the last year but nothing has been found yet. Nothing will be found at Sanjay Singh’s residence. When someone is staring at defeat, they resort to desperate measures. That is what is happening right now,” Kejriwal told reporters during his visit to the Okhla landfill site.
The Delhi Chief Minister said such raids will only increase as the election nears.”ED, CBI, I-T and police – all the agencies will become active as the elections come closer. Yesterday, it was journalists and today, it is Sanjay Singh. Many such raids will happen. But there is no need to be scared,” he added.
On the Supreme Court hearing his former deputy Manish Sisodia’s bail plea, Kejriwal said, “The blessings of children are with him. We hope he will get justice from the Supreme Court today.”
