 "Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi detained by police")
After his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday evening in an excise policy-linked money-laundering case, the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) stated that Arvind Kejriwal will continue as the Delhi chief minister. "He will continue as the chief minister of Delhi. If need be, he will run the government from jail. There is no rule that stops him from running the government from jail since he has not been convicted," Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi told reporters. Kejriwal's arrest, the first of a sitting chief minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP chief from any coercive action by the agency. The party also said that the ED has become a "political tool" of the ruling BJP at the Centre.
Delhi police officials strengthened security measures this morning with heavy personnel deployment and multi-layer barricading on roads leading to BJP headquarters where AAP leaders and workers will stage protest against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The roads leading to the BJP headquarters and ED office in central Delhi have been closed. AAP leaders have asked party workers to reach the BJP headquarters and begin a protest at 10:00 am on Friday against Kejriwal's arrest. Paramilitary personnel in anti-riot gears have have also been called in.
The Delhi CM has spent his night at the ED office located in central Delhi after his arrest in connection with a liquor policy- linked irregularities case on Thursday night. Police said instructions have been issued to detain the protestors as Section 144 has been imposed outside BJP headquarters and ED office.