 "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal produced before Rouse Avenue court. PTI.")
Day after a Delhi court extended Arvind Kejriwal ED custody in the excise policy-linked money laundering case, the chief minister’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal launched a WhatsApp campaign “Kejriwal Ko Aashirvaad”, urging people to support her husband.
Sunita Kejriwal, in a digital briefing on Friday, said she met Arvind Kejriwal, who is in Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody. She went on to say that her husband has challenged the “most corrupt and dictatorial forces” in the country.
She then asked people to support Arvind Kejriwal through their blessings and prayers.
‘Kejriwal ko Aashirwad’
Kejriwal’s wife shared a WhatsApp number for people and asked them to send wishes to the jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor.
“We are starting a drive from today - Kejriwal ko Aashirvaad. You can send your blessings and prayers to Kejriwal on this number,” she said.
WhatsApp number to message Arvind Kejriwal
Sunita Kejriwal read out the WhatsApp number – 8297324624 – she said people can also send any other messages for AAP chief and she will communicate those to him.
‘Arvind Kejriwal, a true patriot’
“My husband is a true patriot. The way he put his stand in court requires lot of courage,” Sunita Kejriwal said.
CM Kejriwal appeared before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Thursday and addressed the court himself, saying that the ED arrested him without any concrete allegations or proof.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsMaking a submission in Hindi before the court, the Delhi CM said a smokescreen of the AAP being corrupt has been created before the nation.
“I am named by four witnesses in the excise policy case. Are four statements enough to arrest a sitting CM?” Kejriwal said in his submissions.
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. On Thursday, the court extended his ED custody till April 1.
AAP’s BIG allegation against BJP
Addressing media on Friday, senior AAP leader Atishi alleged that the ED is working as Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) political weapon and it wants to get details of AAP’s Lok Sabha 2024 election strategy by accessing Kejriwal’s phone.
“The insistence of the ED to look into Kejriwal’s mobile-phone, which is a few months old and did not exist when the policy was formed and implemented, proves that the agency is working as a ‘political weapon’ of the BJP,” Atishi alleged.
“Actually it is the BJP and not the ED that wants to know what is there on Kejriwal’s phone,” Atishi, who is also a minister in the Kejriwal government, said.
“The ED has said that Kejriwal’s phone of that period is not available, and now, it wants the password of his new phone,” Atishi said.
“They want it because they will find in it details of AAP’s Lok Sabha poll strategy, campaign plans, talks with I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders and information regarding media and social media strategy,” she added.
The excise policy was implemented in 2021-22 and the chief minister’s current phone is just a few months old, the Delhi minister claimed.
With inputs from agencies