ED action in Jal Board scam: Raids at Arvind Kejriwal's personal secretary, AAP MP's house

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday raided the premises of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's private secretary Bibhav Kumar and some people associated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as part of the money laundering probe in the Delhi Jal Board scam.

According to sources, ED raids are going on at more than 12 places. Raids are being conducted at the homes of some AAP leaders in Delhi, Chandigarh and Varanasi. Officials of the central agency are searching the premises of Bibhav Kumar, former Delhi Jal Board member Shalabh Kumar and Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Narayan Das Gupta, along with some others.

On this raid, Delhi Minister Atishi held a press conference and said that we are not afraid. Not a single rupee has been recovered yet. No evidence has been found yet. The entire ED case is being made by using the accused as government witnesses. Today I am going to reveal that ED obtained all these statements by fraud. A witness has said that the ED people slapped him so hard that the eardrum burst. A witness said that I was told that if you do not give statement against the leaders, then let's see how your daughter goes to college. People were intimidated and made to sign false statements.

Atishi further said that under the 2020 order of the Supreme Court, any investigating agency has to conduct interrogation through CCTV cameras. This judgment also applies to ED. It is written that there should be not only video but also audio. Every accused and witness has the right to get CCTV footage and audio.

A team of the Crime Branch of Delhi Police had reached the residence of Delhi Minister Atishi on Sunday and given notice to her in connection with the allegations of horse-trading by MLAs. Kejriwal received the notice on Saturday. ED had sent several summons and called Kejriwal for questioning in the money laundering case related to excise policy, but he has not appeared till now. Asked about ED approaching the Delhi court if Kejriwal did not appear, the AAP leader said, "No problem, we will give our reply." The court listed the matter for hearing on February 7.