Arvind Kejriwal is imprisoned and Minister Raaj Kumar Anand resigns from AAP, citing “corruption.

Mr. Anand recently made a major announcement and was subsequently accused of being forced to resign by the AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj. However, Mr. Anand refuted the claim and stated that his decision to leave was due to the party’s involvement in corrupt practices. As the social welfare, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes minister, he expressed his disappointment and revealed that he joined the AAP due to its stance against corruption.

He highlighted his initial motivation to enter politics, influenced by Arvind Kejriwal’s message of transforming the country through political change. Mr. Anand, the MLA from Patel Nagar, became the first Delhi government minister to step down from his position following the arrest of Mr. Kejriwal and the entire liquor policy case. He also accused the AAP of discriminatory practices in the appointment of leadership positions, citing the absence of Dalit representation within the party.

Mr. Anand stated that he follows the principles of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and expressed his belief that if he cannot serve the interests of the Dalits within the party, then there is no purpose in remaining affiliated with it. Additionally, Mr. Anand’s residence was searched by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a customs-linked money laundering case. Atishi, a prominent AAP leader, claimed that the BJP was employing pressure tactics to coerce AAP members into joining their party.

This statement led to a defamation notice being sent to her by the Delhi BJP unit. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court rejected Mr. Kejriwal’s challenge to his arrest in the liquor policy case. The ED had alleged that both Mr. Kejriwal and his colleagues received kickbacks during the formulation of the now-repealed liquor policy.

The ED further claimed that the policy provided excessively high profit margins for retailers and wholesalers, with a portion allegedly being used for poll expenses. Mr. Kejriwal and the AAP have consistently refuted these allegations, attributing them to a political conspiracy against the Chief Minister, who holds a prominent position in the Opposition bloc INDIA.