AAP MLA poaching claims: Delhi Police serve notice to Kejriwal after 2 days of 'high drama'

AAP leaders claimed that a police team came with the media to tarnish Kejriwal's image by projecting that he was unwilling to accept the notice.

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Saturday served a notice on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asking him to respond within three days in connection with a probe on his claims that the BJP has offered Rs 25 crore to at least seven AAP MLAs to switch sides but only after nearly five hours of high drama.

Police officials said they have served the notice asking him to provide the names of AAP MLAs who were claimed to have been approached by the BJP.

There was high drama at Kejriwal's official residence earlier in the day after a team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Crime Branch arrived for the second time in two days to serve a notice to join the probe.

Initially, the team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Crime Branch refused to hand over the notice to Kejriwal's office saying that they will have to hand it over in person to the Chief Minister. However, Kejriwal's staff said they can take the notice and provide them a record of receipt of notice.

Kejriwal said he sympathises with this Crime Branch official who came to hand over the notice. "What is their fault? Their job is to stop crime in Delhi. But instead of stopping crime, this kind of drama is being done. That is why crime is increasing so much in Delhi,” he said.

“Their political masters are asking me to give the names of 'AAP' MLAs who were being poached? But you (BJP) know more than me? You know everything? Why only Delhi, you know everything about toppling state governments by poaching MLAs in other states in the last few years across the country? Then why this drama?” he posted on ‘X’.

Outside the office, AAP leader Jasmine Shah asked the police official about the legal provision under which he was insisting on handing over the notice to Kejriwal personally. Shah said the ED and CBI are issuing summons via email and never insisted on personally handing over the summons.

Posting a video of the interaction on 'X', Shah said, "I asked a simple question to the Delhi police officer standing in front of the entrance of the residence of CM Arvind Kejriwal: Under which law is he insisting to hand over a notice personally to CM? He had no answers. It is clear they are only here to do nautanki (drama)."

Delhi Cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said on 'X', "this is so embarrassing for the Modi government. The BJP is totally exposed today. Yesterday, all BJP spokespersons alleged the CM office did not receive police notice. Today, they are exposed. Police ACP deliberately not delivering notice to CM office."

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak said, "all officials will now have to learn to say no, no matter how much pressure" they face from the Centre.

A police team had gone to Kejriwal's residence on Friday evening but did not serve the notice. The police action came after Delhi BJP chief Virender Sachdeva met the Delhi Police Commissioner on January 30 after Kejriwal accused the BJP of trying to poach AAP MLAs. Kejriwal had said seven MLAs were approached and offered Rs 25 lakh with a message that the BJP will break the AAP MLAs after Kejriwal is arrested.