Drama grips Delhi as cops visit CM’s house

NEW DELHI: Drama unfolded at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence on Saturday as a crime branch team of the Delhi police waited for about five hours to serve him a notice to join a probe over his claim that the BJP was trying to poach the AAP MLAs. Mr Kejriwal dubbed the police action "politically motivated". The BJP, however, slammed the AAP supremo, calling him the "crownless king of corruption who is always on the run."

After a five-hour drama, crime branch officials served a notice to Mr Kejriwal, asking him to reply within three days in a probe into his claims that the BJP attempted to poach seven AAP MLAs.

The police sources said the notice was finally handed over to the officials present at the CM residence.

Calling the police action politically motivated, Mr Kejriwal, in a post on X, wrote, "I sympathise with the crime branch police officer. What is their fault? Their job is to stop crime in Delhi. But instead of stopping crime, this kind of drama is being done. That is why crime is increasing so much in Delhi. Their political masters are asking me which AAP MLAs were contacted for switching sides. But you know more than me. You know everything. Why only Delhi? Do you know which MLAs from other parties and which governments were toppled in the last few years across the country? Then why this drama?"

The BJP called Mr Kejriwal's claim an attempt to divert attention from the allegations of corruption against his government and the crumbling INDIA bloc.

Last week, the Delhi chief minister accused the BJP of reaching out to the AAP MLAs in a poaching attempt and running an MLA inducement campaign. In a post on X, he alleged that the BJP offered `25 crores each to seven of its MLAs to quit the party and that the BJP also threatened to topple the Delhi government. He had also claimed that he had evidence to back his claims.

The crime branch has asked Mr Kejriwal to reveal the names of the AAP MLAs who were allegedly approached by the BJP in a poaching attempt. A Delhi police officer said, "We have served the notice on Mr Kejriwal. He can give the reply in three days in written form."

Earlier, a drama unfolded at Mr Kejriwal's residence in Civil Lines as a crime branch team arrived yet again on Saturday to serve him a notice in connection with the probe. A team led by an assistant commissioner of police-level officer insisted on handing over the notice to Mr Kejriwal only as it was in his name, while officials at the CM's residence said they were ready to take the notice and give a receiving.

The police sources said the notice was finally handed over to the officials present at the CM residence.

Outside the premises, AAP leader Jasmine Shah was seen trying to seek explanation from a crime branch official on the legal provision under which he was insisting on handing over the notice to Mr Kejriwal personally.

"I asked a simple question to the Delhi police officer standing in front of the entrance of the residence of Mr Kejriwal: Under which law is he insisting on handing over a notice personally to the CM? He had no answers. It is clear they are only here to do nautanki (drama)," Ms Shah wrote, posting a video on X.

City Cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed the police were deliberately not delivering the notice to the CM's office. "This is so embarrassing for the Modi government. The BJP is totally exposed today. Yesterday, all the BJP spokespersons alleged the CM office did not receive police notice. Today, they are exposed. Police ACP deliberately not delivering notice to the CM office," he wrote on X.

AAP leader Sandeep Pathak said: "All officials will now have to learn to say no, no matter how much pressure they face (from the Centre)."

The AAP sources claimed the police had brought the media with them to tarnish the chief minister's image. This comes a day after a crime branch team visited the chief minister's residence but failed to deliver the notice, with sources saying officials at his home refused to take the notice.

On Friday, a crime branch team had visited Atishi's residence as well but could not deliver the notice as she was not present.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and Delhi Leader of the Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, however, alleged in a conference that Mr Kejriwal's behaviour has become like that of a criminal. The AAP had no evidence and the allegation of Operation Lotus 2 is a fabricated story to divert attention from his corruption.

Being a former government official himself, the AAP supremo should clarify if the official issuing notice takes receiving or gives receiving. If Mr Kejriwal fails to substantiate his allegations against the BJP, an FIR will be filed and strict action will be taken, the BJP leaders said.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, "It's a strange situation. People of Delhi are today compelled to call Mr Kejriwal a 'bhagoda' (fugitive)."

"The Delhi CM is considered a 'betaaj badshah' (crownless king) of corruption who is always on the run when it comes to facing law enforcement and probe agencies. On the run and hit and run: This is Mr Kejriwal's character and politics. That's why people of Delhi are saying 'Bhag Kejriwal Bhag' (run Kejriwal run)," Mr Poonawalla added.

On January 30, after the AAP's attempted poaching allegations, the Delhi BJP chief met the Delhi police chief, seeking a probe.