Delhi Police Rubbishes AAP Claims Over Kejriwal House Arrest

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday alleged that the Delhi Police had put Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal under house arrest after he met protesting farmers at the Singhu border, a claim denied by the city police. Kejriwal had on Monday had visited the Singhu border  and is said to have reviewed facilities for farmers protesting against the agri marketing laws.

Addressing a press conference, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed the Delhi Police has put Kejriwal under house arrest. "On the direction of the Home Ministry, the Delhi Police has put Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal under house arrest ever since he visited farmers at Singhu border. No one has been permitted to leave or enter his residence and he has not been allowed to meet anyone. When our MLAs went to meet the chief minister they were beaten and thrown on the streets. The party volunteers were also not allowed to meet," he alleged.

"BJP leaders are standing at the gates of the residence and are being welcomed by police personnel. There is heavy barricading on all sides and even the housemaid is not being allowed inside the residence. The Centre is scared that if in this Bharat Bandh, the chosen CM of Delhi stands with farmers then the lie of the Centre will be exposed," Bhardwaj charged.

Refuting the charge, a senior Delhi Police officer said, "This is not true. The chief minister can come and go anywhere. We have our security personnel deployed outside his residence. Even last evening, he had come out".

"There is absolutely no restriction on movement of people. We have deployed our teams there as a precautionary measure to avoid any clash between BJP and AAP members," the officer said.

Anto Alphonse, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) also tweeted a photo of the entrance of Kejriwal's residence and denied the allegations.

This claim of CM Delhi being put on house arrest is incorrect. He exercises his right to free movement within the law of the land. A picture of the house entrance says it all.@DelhiPolice @LtGovDelhi pic.twitter.com/NCWBB9phDS

— DCP North Delhi (@DcpNorthDelhi) December 8, 2020

"This claim of CM Delhi being put on house arrest is incorrect. He exercises his right to free movement within the law of the land. A picture of the house entrance says it all," the DCP North Delhi tweeted.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has extended its support to the 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmers' organisations.

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