AAP launches protests, State Ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj detained

New Delhi, Mar 22: Post arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have launched widespread protests in Delhi and some other states.

State ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj, leading a protest march in Delhi, along with other demonstrators, have been detained, as dramatic scenes unfold near the ITO area where Atishi was picked up by law enforcement officers.

In response to the unfolding unrest, security measures intensified, with police sealing off roads leading to the AAP headquarters and deploying water cannons and paramilitary forces on the DDU road, which leads to the BJP headquarters. The ITO Metro station also remains closed from 8 am-6 pm on police advice.

Kejriwal, arrest, mere weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, has sparked outrage among AAP supporters and drawn criticism from the opposition leaders.

Amid the turmoil, AAP asserts that Kejriwal will continue his chief ministerial duties from jail, a move that legal experts suggest may trigger a constitutional crisis.

At a press conference earlier, Atishi condemned the arrest as a "political conspiracy by the BJP," highlighting its unprecedented nature in Indian politics.

The Enforcement Directorate, investigating the money laundering aspect of the alleged liquor policy scam, labelled Kejriwal as a "conspirator" and apprehended him after he failed to respond to nine summonses.

The Delhi High Court's refusal to grant him protection from arrest further facilitated his detention. Following the arrest, Kejriwal spent the night in an ED lock-up, with AAP calling for nationwide protests against the BJP, particularly outside its headquarters in Delhi.