Political tussle as AAP alleges probe violations by ED

The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at multiple locations in Delhi in connection with alleged irregularities in Delhi Jal Board contracts. The Aam Aadmi Party accused the BJP of trying to destabilize the state government, while the BJP defended the searches as part of their anti-corruption efforts.

The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) searches at a dozen locations in the Capital on Tuesday in connection with alleged irregularities in Delhi Jal Board (DJB) contracts triggered a major war of words between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the former alleging that the raids were a part of the central government’s attempts to destabilise the state’s elected government. The BJP dismissed these claims.

Atishi addresses a press conference on ED raids at the AAP’s office on Rouse Avenue Marg in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the raids were being “done out of political malice”.

“Today my PA’s house was raided by 23 ED officers for 16 hours. After a thorough investigation they found nothing. Not a single penny was found, no jewellery or any property of any kind, no papers,” he said in a post on X.

“Can ED enter anyone’s house without any reason? Is this not sheer hooliganism? It is clear that all these raids and arrests are being done only out of political malice, to harass us, to crush the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP),” he said.

Earlier in the day, addressing a press conference, AAP legislator and Delhi minister Atishi accused the BJP of trying to intimidate the state’s ruling party.

She also claimed that ED deleted audio recordings of statements by the accused and witnesses during their investigation into alleged irregularities in Delhi’s scrapped 2021-22 excise policy.

“ED should submit details before court explaining how many audio recordings of the interrogations it has carried out in the last one-and-a-half years are available with it,” she said.

To be sure, Tuesday’s searches are not linked with the excise policy investigation.

The federal agency denied the allegations, noting that CCTV footage at the ED office was recorded only in video format till October last year. “The then available CCTV system at the ED office did not have the facility to record audio... No audio recording has ever been deleted,” said an official who asked not to be named, adding that these are “baseless allegations”.

“ED may take serious legal action,” the official added.

Meanwhile, the BJP noted that the mandate of federal agencies is to root out corruption.

“Arvind Kejriwal and his associates are involved in corruption. The probe agencies are doing their job to expose corruption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a guarantee that each paisa looted from the government treasury will be recovered. The AAP has committed corruption and looted money,” Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said.