AAP Sources Claim Roads Leading To Delhi CM House Blocked Ahead Of ED Raid; Police Denies Charge

AAP sources on Thursday claimed that the roads leading to Arvind Kejriwal's residence here were blocked and police personnel deployed at all gates as the ED was "gearing up" to raid and arrest the Delhi chief minister.

The Delhi Police, however, said the security around the CM house was beefed up to "manage" mediapersons who have gathered there since Wednesday after party leaders claimed that Kejriwal would be raided and arrested.

"The roads leading to the CM house have been shut and police personnel are deployed at all the entry/exit gates. Event the staff deployed at the CM house has been stopped from entering," an Aam Aadmi Party source said. "The ED is gearing up to raid and arrest Kejriwal," another source from the party said. 

Delhi cabinet minister and AAP leader Atishi on Wednesday night said on X, "News coming in that ED is going to raid Arvind Kejriwal's residence tmrw morning. Arrest likely." A senior Delhi Police officer, however, said the "security was increased to manage the media personnel" after the AAP's claim of a possible raid at the CM's house.

"No one from the CM staff has been stopped," another police officer said, terming the increase in the number of police personnel as "general deployment". Kejriwal on Wednesday skipped the third summons by the ED in connection with the Delhi excise policy case and cited Rajya Sabha polls, Republic Day preparations and the probe agency's "non-disclosure and non-response approach" as reasons for not appearing before it.

In a letter addressed to the Enforcement Directorate, the AAP leader also said that he would be "happy to answer" any questionnaire sent by it. Meanwhile, the AAP claimed that the summonses were sent to arrest Kejriwal as the BJP-led Centre wanted to stop him from campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.