Finally, Delhi Police serve notice to Kejriwal in 'MLAs poaching' case

New Delhi: Delhi Police Crime Branch officials leave from the residence of CM Arvind Kejriwal after serving him notice in connection with Aam Aadmi Party's allegation against BJP "of trying to buy AAP MLAs".

Earlier, a drama unfolded at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence here Saturday as a crime branch team arrived again to serve him a notice to join a probe over his claim that the BJP was trying to poach AAP MLAs.

The team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP)-level officer insisted they will hand over the notice to Kejriwal only as it is on his name, while officials at the CM's residence said they are ready to take the notice and give a receiving.

Outside the premises, AAP leader Jasmine Shah was seen trying to seek explanation from a crime branch official on the legal provision under which he was insisting on handing over the notice to Kejriwal personally.

"I asked a simple question to the Delhi police officer standing in front of the entrance of the residence of CM Arvind Kejriwal: Under which law is he insisting to hand over a notice personally to CM? He had no answers. It is clear they are only here to do nautanki (drama)," Shah wrote posting a video on X.

Delhi Cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed the police were deliberately not delivering the notice to the CM's office.

"This is so embarrassing for the Modi government. The BJP is totally exposed today. Yesterday, all BJP spokespersons alleged the CM office did not receive police notice. Today, they are exposed. Police ACP deliberately not delivering notice to CM office," he wrote on X.

Another AAP leader, Sandeep Pathak, said, "All officials will now have to learn to say no, no matter how much pressure they face (from the Centre)." AAP sources claimed the police have brought the media with them to tarnish the chief minister's image.

This comes as day after a crime branch team visited the chief minister's residence but failed to deliver the notice with sources saying officials at his home refused to take the notice.

Last week, the AAP had alleged the BJP offered Rs 25 crore each to seven of its MLAs to quit the party while also threatening to topple the Kejriwal government.

Kejriwal had made the allegations in a post on X.

At a press conference also here last week, Atishi alleged the BJP has launched "Operation Lotus 2.0" in Delhi. "They had made a similar attempt to poach AAP MLAs last year by offering them money but failed." After the allegations were made, a delegation of the Delhi BJP led by its chief Virender Sachdeva met the city police chief on January 30, seeking a probe.

After meeting Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora at the Police Headquarters here, Sachdeva said Kejriwal was asked to prove his allegations but no one from the AAP has come forward with any evidence.

A crime branch team had visited the residence of Delhi minister Atishi also on Friday, but could not deliver the notice as she was not present.