On Thursday evening, a scene unfolded resembling a drama at the residence of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal. Officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrived at Kejriwal’s residence armed with a search warrant and commenced a thorough search of the premises. Reports suggest that a team of 8 to 12 ED officials participated in the search operation, during which the mobile phones belonging to Kejriwal and his wife were confiscated. Subsequently, Kejriwal’s statement was recorded under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Amidst a flurry of media speculation regarding Kejriwal’s potential arrest following the investigation, there’s a palpable sense of tension within the Aam Aadmi Party, with leaders echoing similar apprehensions.
During the ordeal, ED officials maintained strict control over access to Kejriwal, denying entry to Delhi ministers and Aam Aadmi Party leaders who sought to meet him. Meanwhile, the situation at Kejriwal’s residence remained under the watchful eye of Delhi North Zone DCP. AAP ministers and leaders, frustrated by their inability to reach Kejriwal, vented their anger, accusing the BJP of targeting their party and lamenting the lack of opportunity to communicate with their leader. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the ED’s actions, denouncing the searches conducted at Kejriwal’s residence.