The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Mumbai police of using excessive force during a protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Pics/ Satej Shinde
AAP's Maharashtra president Preeti Sharma Menon claimed that party workers were subjected to physical violence, including shoving, beating, and punching, during the protest in the early hours.
Menon highlighted that women protesters were detained, and some workers were allegedly punched by the police, describing the situation as "unbelievable police brutality".
Kejriwal, who also serves as the national convenor of AAP, was arrested by the ED in connection with a money laundering case related to excise policy. This marks the first instance of a sitting chief minister being arrested.
The arrest came after the Delhi High Court rejected Kejriwal's plea for protection from coercive action by the agency, leading to swift action by the ED.
Despite the arrest, AAP reaffirmed Kejriwal's position as the Chief Minister of Delhi and asserted that he would continue to lead the government even if he is in jail.
The party also called nation-wide protests against Kejriwal's arrest and have been dubbing ED's move to arrest him as a 'politically motivated'.
Various parties, including constituents of the INDIA bloc, condemned Kejriwal's arrest and accused the BJP of orchestrating it out of fear of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024 and to create obstacles for the opposition.
Despite the controversy surrounding Kejriwal's arrest, AAP remains determined to continue its election campaign.
Meanwhile, AAP has called for an investigation into the alleged police brutality during the protest and demanded accountability for the actions of law enforcement officials.
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