Gujarat AAP leaders stage protest over linking of fake ED raid mastermind with party

Bhuj, Dec 16 (PTI) Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest outside a police station in Gujarat's Kutch district on Monday over the police's claims that the mastermind in the fake ED raid had funded party activities and met some leaders.

The party's state president, Isudan Gadhvi, national joint secretary Gopal Italia, MLA Hemant Khava and several workers of the outfit marched towards Gandhidham B-division police station, holding banners and raising slogans against Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi, asking him to stop making false cases targeting the AAP.

They raised slogans outside the police station and held a sit-in protest, with Italia demanding the police question him over the Kutch (East) Superintendent of Police's claims regarding his connection with the accused.

The protest was organised days after Sanghavi claimed in a post on X that Abdul Sattar, who was among 12 persons arrested on December 4 for allegedly pulling off a fake ED raid at a jewellery shop in Gandhidham and stealing valuables worth Rs 22.25 lakh, the general secretary of AAP.

A day after Sanghavi's tweet on Friday, Superintendent of Police (Kutch East) Sagar Bagmar claimed Sattar had met AAP leaders Italia and Manoj Sorathiya at Bhuj circuit house and used to fund party activities with the money he earned illegally.

Bagmar had told the media persons that AAP leaders would be called for questioning if required.

"Nearly 10 days after the arrests were made in the fake ED case, the SP appeared as a BJP agent and made false allegations that the mastermind used to pay Gopal Italia. I have come here to seek an explanation. Whatever the SP said is a lie, and he should not work as a BJP agent," Italia told reporters outside the police station.

He said though the police have not summoned him for questioning in the case, he has appeared before them as he is innocent and is ready to answer any questions.

"Even though the police have not asked me to come for investigation, I have come on my own and appeared before the police because I am innocent and have not committed any crime. I have come to respond to all the baseless allegations levelled against me by the SP," the AAP leader said. PTI COR KA ARU