AAP claims CBI and BJP are conspiring to keep Kejriwal behind bars

AAP accuses CBI and BJP of plotting to imprison Kejriwal, Sisodia and AAP leader Atishi accused the BJP of manipulating judicial processes to prevent Kejriwal from securing bail

Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has accused the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) of acting under the influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), following
the CBI’s justification of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest in the Delhi excise policy
case. Sisodia claims that the BJP and CBI are conspiring to keep Arvind Kejriwal in jail. AAP
leaders argue that despite these alleged conspiracies, the truth will ultimately prevail and
Kejriwal will soon be released.

On Friday, the CBI defended its decision to arrest Kejriwal, asserting that he played a “pivotal
role” in the creation and implementation of the excise policy under scrutiny. The agency
contended that Kejriwal’s arrest was crucial for a fair investigation, particularly due to his lack of
cooperation and the significant evidence against him. This defense came on the heels of a
Supreme Court decision to postpone Kejriwal’s bail hearing until September 5.

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21, 2024 . Although he was
granted interim bail in May to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, he has remained in custody
since then, except for a 21-day period. Despite receiving interim bail from the Supreme Court on
July 12, which acknowledged his prolonged detention, Kejriwal continued to be held due to his
subsequent arrest by the CBI on June 26.

AAP has criticized the CBI for what it describes as a politically motivated delay. The party
highlighted that during Kejriwal’s bail hearing, the CBI requested a week to file an affidavit,
leading the Supreme Court to adjourn the hearing for two weeks. However, the affidavit
appeared in newspapers the following day, raising suspicions that the CBI might have misled the
court about the affidavit’s readiness. Atishi alleged that this discrepancy indicates the CBI’s
intention to prolong Kejriwal’s detention.

The CBI’s defense of Kejriwal’s arrest came as the Supreme Court rescheduled the hearing for
his release petition to September 5. Sisodia has accused the CBI of being an instrument of BJP’s
political propoganda. Sisodia further criticized the CBI for allegedly leaking the affidavit to the
media, which questioned how the document could be publicized before it was officially filed.

AAP has long alleged that the BJP has orchestrated a conspiracy against its leaders, citing
continuous raids and investigations over the past two years. Despite numerous raids and repeated questioning of AAP leaders, including Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, the party
claims that no concrete evidence of corruption has emerged. AAP argues that these efforts are
part of a broader scheme to discredit the party and its leaders, culminating in Kejriwal’s arrest
just before the Lok Sabha elections.

Atishi accused the BJP of manipulating judicial processes to prevent Kejriwal from securing bail.
She pointed out that after Kejriwal was granted bail by a trial court on June 20, the ED quickly
sought to stay the order in the high court, resulting in a delay of the bail order. This action,
according to Atishi, was part of a coordinated effort by the BJP to keep Kejriwal incarcerated.

Sisodia was granted bail by the Supreme Court on August 9 in the excise policy case, yet the
AAP maintains that the BJP’s efforts to keep Kejriwal behind bars continue unabated. Atishi
expressed confidence that, despite the political machinations, Kejriwal would eventually be
released and return to serve the people of Delhi.

In response, BJP spokespersons Praveen Shankar Kapoor and Amit Tiwari dismissed AAP’s
claims, suggesting that the party’s leaders should address their grievances through the court
rather than public accusations. They criticized AAP for perceiving any legal or investigative
action as biased and politically motivated. The BJP representatives argued that if AAP truly
believes the CBI has acted improperly, they should challenge the agency’s actions in court rather
than engaging in media criticism.

The ongoing legal and political drama surrounding the Delhi excise policy case continues to be a
significant point of contention, reflecting deep-seated tensions between AAP and the BJP as the
battle over justice and political influence unfolds.