Kejriwal's arrest illegal; Shah, Modi must apologise: Sanjay

 New Delhi: AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Thursday said former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on "fabricated" charges and demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The AAP's Rajya MP alleged that Kejriwal's arrest in the Delhi liquor policy case was politically motivated and illegal. "It has been proven that the so-called liquor scam was a lie. The arrests of Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and me were illegal. After three years, they now realise that a sanction was required. This shows that the case was fabricated by the BJP," he said. Singh's remarks come in the wake of the Union Home Ministry sanctioning the Enforcement Directorate to prosecute Kejriwal in the excise policy-linked money laundering case last week. The ED arrested Kejriwal over alleged irregularities in Delhi's excise policy in March last year, just ahead of the general election. He was lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail and was granted bail by the Supreme Court in September. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah must apologise to Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders for these illegal arrests," Singh said. PTI

The BJP hit out at AAP over CM Atishi favouring the implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, saying the "blind attachment" of the party's politics to safeguard the interest of liquor mafia will remain a "black chapter" in Indian polity.

The BJP's charge came after Atishi in an interview with news channel TV9 Bharatvarsh favoured the implementation of the controversial Delhi excise policy in the national capital, saying it was a "better policy" that has been adopted by several states and their revenue has significantly increased with its implementation.

Citing Atishi's remarks, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said if the said excise policy is implemented in Delhi, it will be recorded as a "shame" in the country's history.

Has liquor become the first priority of the party which came into being "preaching morality" out of Anna Hazare's public movement, he asked and slammed the AAP while terming Atishi's remarks painful. "The blind attachment of AAP's politics to safeguard the interests of liquor mafia will remain as a black chapter in Indian polity," Prasad added.

Prasad alleged the AAP is considering implementing the liquor policy if voted back to power despite its supremo and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, ex-deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and others arrested in connection with the scam and a chargesheet has also been filed in the court.