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NEW DELHI: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP of viewing the AAP as a threat, initiating what he said "Operation Jhaadu" to undermine his party. The Delhi CM held a press conference ahead of the protest march in the national capital saying the PM is trying to crush the Aam Aadmi Party. Meanwhile, the security has been beefed up outside BJP headquarters in Delhi in view of the protest by Aam Aadmi Party leaders and workers in the national capital today. Paramilitary troopers, along with Delhi Police personnel, have been deployed to maintain law and order. 'Operation Jhaadu' "ED's lawyer has already given this statement in court that soon after the election AAP's bank accounts will be frozen, he said that if they freeze our account now we will get sympathy... After election, they will freeze our accounts, our office will be cleared out and we will be brought to streets. These are the three plans made by BJP," he added. arrest of party leaders. In view of the protest, the Delhi Metro authority also has informed that the entry and exit at ITO Metro station will remain closed till further notice. Bibhav Kumar in connection with the alleged assault on AAP MP Swati Maliwal at the CM's residence this week. The Ex-aide is also in five-day police custody after a ruling in the Tis Hazari Court late Saturday night. The AAP has also alleged that Swati Maliwal was 'blackmailed' by the BJP to hatch a 'conspiracy' against the Delhi CM Kejriwal. The party also has claimed that the BJP intends to send other senior leaders like Atishi, Raghav Chadda and Saurab Bharadwaj behind bars too. BJP's response BJP has also accused AAP and senior leader Atishi Marlena for engaging in the character assassination of a "distressed woman", called it deeply shameful. (With inputs from agencies)
"The PM is determined to crush the Aam Aadmi Party," Kejriwal said, alleging that the operation includes arresting key AAP leaders, freezing the party's bank accounts, and closing their offices.
Delhi Police have said the AAP leaders will not be allowed to march towards the BJP office as they did not seek prior permission for the protest.
In the press conference before the protests, Arvind Kejriwal said, "BJP and PM Modi have started 'Operation Jhaadu' so that we don't grow big and become a challenge to them. Through 'Operation Jhaadu', AAP's big leaders will be arrested, they are being arrested and in the coming days, AAP's bank accounts will be frozen."
This party poses a threat to the BJP, which is why they believe it's crucial to address it now," Kejriwal said.
Protestors detained, sec 144 imposed and advisories issued
Delhi Police detained some AAP workers as they tried to march towards the BJP headquarters to protest against the
DCP Delhi Central, Harsha Vardhan Mandava said, "Based on the information we received through social media and other channels, we have made preventive arrangements on DDU Marg to ensure that the law and order are maintained at all costs. We are focused and committed to making adequate security deployments and have barricades in place to ward off any attempt to disrupt law and order."
"Section 144 has been imposed on DDU Marg and there is no permission for any kind of protest here," he informed.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Traffic Police also issued an advisory in view of the protest, informing that traffic will remain heavy at DDU Marg, IP Marg, Minto Road and Vikas Marg. It also said that DDU Marg may remain closed for traffic movement between 11 am to 2 pm and urged commuters to avoid these roads.
Kejriwal's announcement to march BJP HQ amid tensions following aide's arrest
The political slugfest escalated after Delhi Police on Saturday arrested Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's ex-personal secretary,
Hours after Kumar's arrest, Kejriwal held a press conference in which he announced his intention to march to the BJP office on Sunday, and dared the "Prime Minister to send anyone he wants to jail".
"I along with my MLAs and MPs would go to the BJP office at noon tomorrow so that the Prime Minister can send anyone he wants to jail. The AAP is an idea. For as many AAP leaders you jail, the country would produce leaders a hundred times more," Kejriwal added.
On Sunday, AAP on X said, "Today at 12 noon, AAP leaders will march towards BJP headquarters under the leadership of CM Kejriwal."
"It's in your hands. If you want me to go to jail choose the BJP, otherwise choose the AAP. They (BJP) are after us. They arrested Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and me. Today they arrested my PA, now they will arrest Raghav Chadha, Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj," Kejriwal in a rally after Bhibav's arrest said.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slammed Arvind Kejriwal's decision to march to the BJP office on Sunday, saying the chief minister is doing "emotional atyaachaar (torture)" instead of replying to questions on Maliwal's alleged assault.
"From corruption to misconduct and then defamation... this has become the ideology of AAP, which is aligned with Bibhav Kumar, who has a criminal record. Arvind Kejriwal's silence indicates that Bibhav is merely a pawn, with the Delhi CM himself being the true mastermind of the incident," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said.
The investigation in Swati Maliwal's case
The police have said that they have recorded statements from at least 10 individuals, including staff members and security personnel, who were present at the CM's residence during the alleged assault on May 13. Bibhav Kumar's mobile phones have been confiscated, and they are investigating his communications with Maliwai. According to the police, Kumar has also deleted chats and other content from his phone. The Delhi Police have also gathered footage from eight CCTV cameras and the DVR from the chief minister's residence. An officer noted that there was no CCTV camera installed in the drawing room where the alleged assault took place.
Assault could have been fatal, Bibhav Kumar evasive: Delhi Police says in its remand paper
The Delhi Police in its remand paper submitted late Saturday evening seeking seven days custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar regarding the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal said that it was a "serious case" where the "brutal assault" could have turned "fatal".
Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal, who sent Kumar to five-day police custody, was told by the investigating agency that he did not cooperate with the police and had been evasive in his replies.
"This is a very serious case where a Member of Parliament, a public figure, has been brutally assaulted which could have been fatal. Despite specific questions, the accused has not cooperated in the investigation and has been evasive in his replies," said the remand paper signed by North District Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Anjitha Chepyala.
The remand application said that Maliwal's testimony before the magistrate was corroborated by the medical evidence.
AAP's counter allegations
In the ongoing blame game following the assault case, AAP leader Atishi said that if the Delhi Police are truly impartial, they should also file an FIR based on Bibhav Kumar's counter complaint against Maliwal.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj has said that "senior BJP leaders are in touch with Swati Maliwal".
"When a woman makes such allegations, it seems that there must be truth in her words. We, too, felt the same in the case of Swati Maliwal. But when the video of the drawing room of the Chief Minister's residence came to light, something different was visible in it," he added.
Swati Maliwal's repsonse
Taking to X,Swati Maliwal has alleged that a video of Bibhav Kumar allegedly assaulting her has been edited. "Only 50 seconds (of the video) were released when I was fed up of explaining to the security guys. Now they have formatted the phone and deleted the entire video? CCTV footage is also missing! Even conspiracy has its limits!"
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