Assam CM accuses Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal of inviting arrest by ignoring ED summons

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of deliberately inviting his own arrest by failing to comply with Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons related to a money laundering case linked to the now-defunct Delhi liquor policy.

Sarma asserted that Kejriwal's decision to disregard nine summonses may have been a calculated political move to garner sympathy. Speaking to reporters after a poll-preparedness meeting at the state BJP headquarters, Sarma claimed that had Kejriwal presented himself before the ED earlier he would have been arrested then.

"The ED didn't arrest Kejriwal, he invited the agency to arrest him," Sarma stated, highlighting Kejriwal's repeated non-compliance with the summonses.

The ED eventually arrested Kejriwal on Friday after the Delhi High Court declined to grant him protection from coercive action by the central anti-money laundering agency.

In response to Kejriwal's arrest, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is gearing up to transform the protest into a nationwide movement. The INDIA bloc, which includes the AAP, staged a demonstration at Shaheedi Park in ITO, protesting against the ED's actions. The situation escalated when the crowd, estimated by police at around 500, began marching towards Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, where both the AAP and BJP headquarters are situated. Police detained approximately 18 individuals during the events, releasing them later in the day.

AAP announced plans to abstain from celebrating Holi on March 25, with party workers intending to 'gherao' the Prime Minister's residence on March 26 in protest against Kejriwal's arrest.