Agency Defends Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest To Court. AAP Says, "Lie Machine"

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested after he evaded nine summons and only after the High Court refused to grant him interim relief, the Enforcement Directorate has told the Supreme Court. Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party alleged the Central agency was just a "machine churning out lies" at the behest of the BJP.

The court will hear Mr Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest by the agency in the Delhi liquor policy case.

Today, the Enforcement Directorate filed an affidavit contesting it. In the affidavit, sources said, the agency has contended that despite issuing summons nine times, Mr Kejriwal did not appear for questioning. He was avoiding questioning, the agency had contended.

The Enforcement Directorate also said there was a possibility of around evidence tampering. As example, it said 170 cellphones were altered and destroyed by 36 persons during the period of the scam.

"The BJP wants to stop Arvind Kejriwal from election campaign... This is not an ED investigation, this is a BJP investigation," the party said.

AAP said the ED is working like a political ally of the BJP. the agency, it said, has not a shred of evidence against Mr Kejriwal and the other leaders it arrested.

The matter went to the Supreme Court earlier this month after the Delhi High Court validated Mr Kejriwal's arrest.  The top court, however, refused an early hearing and asked the agency to file its response to his petition by April 26. The court, was closed (for Eid) when the AAP leader approached it.

The matter will be heard next week.