'Scared' of AAP-Congress tie up, BJP trying to get Arvind Kejriwal arrested: Saurabh Bharadwaj

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Pic/PTI

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday alleged that the BJP-led Centre was scared of the party's alliance with the Congress for the Lok Sabha polls and was using the CBI to get Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal arrested, reported news agency PTI.

There was no immediate reaction from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the allegation.

Addressing a press conference, Delhi cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said as soon as reports of the finalisation of seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) started coming in, the ED sent a seventh summons to Kejriwal in the excise policy-linked money laundering case, reported PTI.

"The BJP-led Centre was scared of AAP's alliance with the Congress for the Lok Sabha polls and was using the CBI to get Arvind Kejriwal arrested," Bharadwaj said.

"We have learnt from reliable sources that the CBI is planning to arrest Kejriwal. The CBI will also serve a notice to Kejriwal either this afternoon or by evening," he alleged.

In the next two to three days, Kejriwal will be arrested, he claimed.

"We are getting messages that if the AAP-Congress alliance happens, Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested. The BJP is scared of the AAP-Congress alliance. You can arrest Kejriwal if you want but the alliance will proceed," he said, reported PTI.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak said people will take to the streets if Kejriwal is arrested.

"There will be a tsunami (of people). Their (BJP) political calculations will go wrong. We are not scared of being arrested. We are forging this alliance for the country," he added, reported PTI.

Earlier, AAP leader Atishi claimed on Thursday that the party's national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested in the next three to four days if the party enters into a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress for the Lok Sabha polls, reported PTI.

Reacting to the claim, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said she made the remarks out of "frustration", reported PTI.

"As for as her claim that this was going to happen because of AAP-Congress alliance, I want to say the BJP is least bothered about this coalition and we are going to win all the 7 Lok Sabha seats in Delhi," he said, reported PTI.

Addressing a press conference, Atishi also claimed that the CBI was going to issue a notice to Kejriwal either on Saturday or Monday, reported PTI.

"Since the news of discussions on an alliance between AAP and Congress reaching final stages is circulating, AAP leaders have received messages since Wednesday evening that Kejriwal will be arrested if AAP enters into a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress," she claimed, reported PTI.

The Delhi minister claimed that it was conveyed by the messengers that a notice will be issued to the chief minister by the CBI on Saturday or Monday and then he will be arrested by ED and CBI in next 1-2 days, reported PTI.

She said that it was conveyed by the messengers that the only way to keep Kejriwal out of jail was AAP quitting the opposition bloc INDIA.

"I want to tell the BJP that this is democracy and parties have right to enter into an alliance and if you (BJP) feel that you can scare Kejriwal and AAP through such threats of arrest then you are committing a big mistake," Atishi said, reported PTI.

The alliance between the AAP and the Congress in Delhi is on the verge of finalisation. Leaders of the two parties may make an official announcement in a day or two, she said.

Atishi did not present any evidence in support of her claims, saying "We are public representative and we do not keep handy a recorder while going for morning walk or meeting people at home or office, so that anything said by a person from the BJP could be recorded," reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)