On Sunday, the Delhi police detained several leaders and workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) who were staging protests outside the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters. The protests were organized in response to the CBI's summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for interrogation in connection with the excise policy case. Top leaders of the party, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi and Kailash Gahlot, and Rajya Sabha MPs Sandeep Pathak, Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh, gathered near the federal agency's headquarters and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Kejriwal's questioning was underway.
AAP Delhi convener Gopal Rai claimed that around 1,500 people have been detained by police and several MLAs and councillors "arrested" across the national capital for staging protests against the CBI summons to the chief minister. Heavy security was deployed across the city, and barricades were put up at various locations to control the situation.
Kejriwal appears before CBI regarding excise policy scam
Several party leaders and workers had gathered at the MP road in Mehrauli, under IIT flyover, and near ITO, leading to traffic disruption. Party MLA Somnath Bharti, who was leading a protest under IIT flyover, alleged that the Centre was "misusing the CBI" and "trying to scare" a leader who has worked for the development of the country.