A day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, police detained several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, on Friday as the party workers staged massive protests against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the excise policy case.

AAP leaders and supporters gathered at ITO, near the AAP and BJP headquarters, to protest, despite police urging them to disperse with Section 144 in place prohibiting large gatherings. Slogans against the BJP-led central government echoed as police erected barricades on Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, disrupting traffic.

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Police have instructed all senior officers to maintain strict vigilance and warned of severe consequences for any breaches of the law.

Traffic police issued an advisory asking commuters to avoid routes leading to central Delhi due to the anticipated large gathering of AAP workers.

Following Kejriwal’s arrest on Thursday evening, the AAP called for nationwide protests against the BJP and urged all INDIA alliance parties and leaders to unite in this agitation.

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Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi expressed deep concern on Friday regarding the security of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently in ED custody following his arrest in connection with a money laundering case related to the excise policy.

During a press conference, she said, “ED has not been able to produce a single evidence. This shows how fearful the BJP is of Arvind Kejriwal.”

Sources within the AAP revealed that all Delhi MLAs and councillors have been instructed to mobilise people at the BJP headquarters, anticipating a significant turnout to protest against Kejriwal’s arrest.

Kejriwal spent the night at the ED office in Delhi after his arrest. A substantial number of buses have been deployed to transport protestors away from central Delhi.

Atishi also said that they filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to quash Kejriwal’s arrest and have urgently requested a hearing. However, the plea has now been withdrawn.