Aam Aadmi Party leader Dilip Pandey
Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi unit secretary Dilip Pandey, two AAP leaders and three others were arrested by the Delhi police on Friday on the charges of inciting violence between communities.
Mr Pandey and the two AAP leaders were called by police for questioning in connection with allegedly inflammatory posters in Jamia Nagar area of South Delhi.
They were later arrested under non-bailable Sections 153 and 295 of the Indian Penal Code.
AAP leader Manish Sisodia said it was a political conspiracy. "The BJP government at the Centre is trying to take revenge after we exposed that they are trying to buy our MLAs. That is why they are angry. We don't believe in such posters. Arrest the man who is behind it. Why are AAP workers being arrested?" Mr Sisodia told NDTV.
Later, in a series of tweets, party chief Arvind Kejriwal claimed that his supporters are being framed and arrested in false cases because they foiled the BJP's plan to form a government in Delhi.
"Just becoz we foiled BJP's plans to form govt in del by buying MLAs, our volunteers and staff are being framed and arrested in false cases (sic)," Mr Kejriwal said in one of his tweets.
"Two staff and our del secy dilip pandey interrogated the whole day and arrested. What is the issue? Amanatullah from okhla put up posters in some parts of del expressing displeasure that 3 muslim MLAs were joining BJP.... Amanatullah alleged that the MLAs had taken Rs 20 crores each. He asked people to gherao their houses.... police found it provocative and started arresting everyone. It seems the lower police is being forced by seniors to arrest AAP leaders. So, who is masterminding it? (sic)" the AAP chief said in his other tweets.
The BJP has served a legal notice to Mr Kejriwal, accusing him of "causing mental agony, harassment and defamation," by accusing the party of "horse-trading." Mr Kejriwal had made allegations - in radio ads and on Twitter - that the BJP is attempting to form government in Delhi by trying to "buy" the support of his party's MLAs.