Delhi CM Atishi may be arrested in a fake case: Arvind Kejriwal

AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal claimed on Wednesday that Delhi chief minister Atishi may be arrested in a "fake" case by Central investigative agencies at the behest of the BJP.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal, flanked by Atishi, said, "We got to know from our sources that a meeting was held and investigative agencies have been ordered by the BJP to arrest CM Atishi in a fake case."

The BJP is trying to distract AAP from campaigning for assembly polls, he alleged. "We came to know that they are preparing a fake case on Atishi in the transport department, and they want to halt the scheme of free bus rides for women," the AAP chief said. "I will not let the scheme of free bus rides for women stop as long as I am alive," Kejriwal, who is out on bail in a case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, asserted.

He also claimed that Central agencies have been instructed to conduct raids on all senior AAP leaders before arresting Atishi in the coming days. "Raids will be conducted on me, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Satyendar Jain and Atishi. Their goal is to distract us from our election preparations and campaigning and to entangle us in other matters," Kejriwal said.

Atishi said AAP has always worked with honesty and would continue to do so without any fear of agencies. "I am confident that if their agencies file false cases against me or even arrest me, the truth will eventually prevail. I have full faith in the justice system of this country. Just as all our senior party leaders who were falsely implicated were eventually granted bail after the truth came out," she said.

"We trust the judiciary and the Constitution of India, and despite their false cases, I am certain we will receive bail soon, as truth always triumphs in the end," Atishi added.

Kejriwal further alleged that for years, such plots have been hatched, "dragging us into fabricated cases and imprisoning us, but the people will give a fitting reply to this".

The people do not like this kind of politics and the BJP should tell the people of Delhi what they have done in the city over the last 10 years and what they plan to do in the future, the party said in a statement. Simply putting people in jail or abusing Arvind Kejriwal will not earn the BJP votes, it added.

The Delhi assembly elections are due in February next year, with AAP vying for a third consecutive full term.