Kejriwal arrest AAP plans massive protest in Delhi today against Arvind Kejriwal's arrest
New Delhi/IBNS: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has planned a massive protest in the national capital Sunday against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.
Delhi Minister Gopal Rai said all party MLAs, and office-bearers will gather at Shaheedi Park to protest against the BJP - which the AAP alleges is misusing central agencies to target the opposition leaders.
Representatives of the INDIA bloc will also participate in the protest that will see candle marches as well as the burning of effigies.
Security has been beefed up along the roads leading to Shaheedi Park as the police prepare for the huge protest.
Traffic may also be hit in parts of central Delhi due to heavy barricading.
AAP ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and several party workers were detained on Friday while protesting against the BJP over the chief minister's arrest.
Party workers will not celebrate Holi on Monday and instead called for a "gherao" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence on Tuesday.
The AAP has insisted that Kejriwal will remain the chief minister of Delhi, even if it means him functioning from inside the jail.
In a message from jail - which was read out by his wife Sunita Kejriwal, the Delhi Chief Minister has urged everyone to continue working for the society and not hate anyone, even those from the ruling BJP.
"There are several forces within and outside India that are weakening the country. There is no jail that can keep him behind bars for long. I will come out soon and keep my promises," the Delhi Chief Minister said in his message.
The Delhi High Court will take up Arvind Kejriwal's request on Wednesday in which he has challenged his arrest as well as a lower court's order granting the ED his custody for seven days.
The AAP chief was arrested on Thursday and, the next day, the Rouse Avenue court in Delhi remanded him in the Probe Agency's custody till March 28.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged that Kejriwal had received kickbacks in return for favours and was described as the "kingpin" and a major conspirator in the alleged scam.
According to the agency, the revoked Delhi liquor policy of 2021-22 allowed for a profit margin of 12% for wholesalers and nearly 185% for retailers. Of this 12%, it claims that six percent was to be extracted from wholesalers as kickbacks for AAP leaders.
The ED alleges that the total proceeds of the crime amount to Rs 600 crore. Further, a lobby known as the South Group purportedly provided Rs100 crore in advance to another accused in the case, Vijay Nair, who was associated with the ruling party in Delhi.
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