ED Raids on AAP Leaders: Accusations of Intimidation and Corruption Fly

ED raids on AAP leaders premises in Delhi spark accusations of intimidation from the party, while BJP alleges corruption against the Kejriwal government.

The Enforcement Directorate's (ED) raids on premises linked to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders in Delhi on Tuesday sparked a fierce political confrontation, with the party accusing the Centre and the probe agency of intimidation. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, hit back with allegations of corruption against the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government.

AAP Alleges Harassment and Witness Pressure

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal took to social media to express his displeasure, stating that the 16-hour raid at his personal assistant's residence by 23 officers failed to uncover any incriminating evidence. He further alleged that the raids on AAP treasurer N.D. Gupta's residence also yielded no results, claiming that the actions were solely intended to harass and suppress the Aam Aadmi Party.

Amid the ongoing ED raids, AAP leaders, including Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, held a series of press conferences. They accused the ED of deleting audio recordings of CCTV interrogations in the excise policy case and pressuring witnesses and the accused to extract statements. ED sources, however, refuted these claims and asserted that the agency would take legal action against such allegations.

BJP Counters with Corruption Charges

Union Minister and BJP MP Meenakashi Lekhi launched a scathing attack on Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that the AAP government had jeopardized Delhi's governance model by prioritizing publicity, drama, and scams. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva welcomed the raids, claiming that AAP leaders were involved in corruption.

ED Probes Alleged AAP Election Funding Irregularities

The ED raids were part of an ongoing investigation into allegations that bribes generated from irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board tendering process were diverted as election funds to the AAP. Official sources revealed that the agency searched the premises of Kejriwal's personal assistant Bibhav Kumar and others, including Rajya Sabha MP and party treasurer Gupta.

AAP Raises Concerns over Deleted Audio Recordings

Addressing a press conference, AAP leader Atishi leveled serious allegations against the ED, calling the entire probe in the excise policy case a scam in itself. She claimed that the BJP government at the Centre was using the ED to intimidate and silence AAP. Atishi presented evidence suggesting that several accused, witnesses, and government witnesses were pressured into recording statements.

Atishi further alleged that audio recordings from the statement of an accused in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case were deleted, and evidence was tampered with. She also raised concerns that all audio files of investigations conducted by the ED in the past one and a half years had been deleted, as revealed by trusted sources within the party.

ED Refutes Claims, Promises Legal Action

ED sources vehemently denied the allegations made by Atishi and asserted that they would take legal recourse against the minister for leveling such accusations. They clarified that the footage was recorded in video-only format during interrogations as the CCTV system lacked audio recording capabilities at the time. Audio recordings were only added to the video capturing system in October 2022.

AAP Demands Official Statement from ED

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj demanded that the ED issue an official statement regarding the missing audio recordings. He emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability, urging the agency to name the officer responsible for the omission. Bharadwaj cited a 2020 Supreme Court ruling mandating audio-video recordings of interrogations by investigating agencies.

BJP Highlights Alleged Scams Under AAP Rule

At a separate press conference, AAP's chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar dismissed the so-called liquor scam as baseless, asserting that the ED's investigation and statements lacked substance.

Union Minister Meenakashi Lekhi, on the other hand, listed alleged scams under the Kejriwal government and criticized the party for its perceived hypocrisy. She questioned Kejriwal's absence from ED summons related to the excise policy-related money laundering case and urged Atishi to clarify when the Delhi Chief Minister would appear before the probe agency to answer questions.

Delhi BJP President Welcomes Probe

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva expressed support for the ED's investigation, stating that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to recover every penny looted from the government exchequer. He expressed confidence that the truth would emerge through the investigation.

The ongoing political storm in Delhi highlights the deepening divide between the AAP and the BJP, with both parties trading accusations and defending their respective positions. As the ED investigation progresses, the outcome could have significant implications for the AAP government and the upcoming assembly elections in the national capital.