Amid the political turmoil gripping the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, questions have arisen regarding the whereabouts of the party’s Rajya Sabha MP, Raghav Chadha.
Chadha’s absence amidst the crisis, with suggestions that he may be avoiding the Enforcement Directorate’s ongoing investigation into the now-defunct Delhi liquor policy. Kejriwal was arrested in connection with the excise policy case and remanded to judicial custody until April 15.
WHERE IS RAGHAV CHADHA?
According to India Today reports and Chadha’s account on microblogging site X, he has been in London since March 8 for a vitrectomy, a type of eye surgery to prevent retinal detachment.
Furthermore, Chadha was an active participant in an interactive session at the London India Forum 2024, hosted by the prestigious London School of Economics on March 9.
Notably, his wife, Bollywood actor Parineeti Chopra, was also a speaker at the event. Speaking to X on March 10, Chadha expressed his delight at engaging in dialogue at the institution, which significantly impacted his development. However, his visit to London also sparked controversy when he was observed meeting with UK Parliamentarian Preet Kaur Gill, a figure associated with contentious political stances.
This meeting drew criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with its IT cell chief, Amit Malviya, questioning Chadha’s association with Gill. Malviya accused Gill of openly advocating for Khalistani separatism, mobilizing funds for Khalistani groups in the UK, and supporting violent protests outside India House in London.
These allegations, combined with Gill’s purportedly anti-India, anti-Modi, and anti-Hindu social media posts, further fueled the controversy surrounding Chadha’s activities abroad. On March 20, Raghav Chadha and his wife visited the Palace of Westminster to attend the Prime Minister’s Question Session at the House of Commons.
The following day, March 21, as Arvind Kejriwal faced arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, Chadha took to Twitter, posting both in Hindi and English, to denounce the arrest. Subsequently, he released a video message defending Kejriwal and launching a verbal assault on the Central government.
Since then, Chadha has been actively using his social media platform to share press conferences held by
Sunita Kejriwal and messages of support from various INDIA bloc leaders backing the AAP chief.
On April 2, following the court’s decision to grant bail to his Rajya Sabha colleague Sanjay Singh in the same case as Kejriwal’s arrest, Chadha expressed joy on X, describing it as an emotional day for all AAP workers.
His last public appearance in India was on March 2, when he visited a fellow AAP leader to congratulate him on his candidature for the south Delhi Lok Sabha seat.
IS RAGHAV CHADDHA FEARING ED ARREST?
The absence of Raghav Chadha has raised eyebrows and attracted scrutiny from both the BJP and the INDIA Bloc. On Saturday, March 30, NCP leader Jitendra Awhad took to a now-deleted post on X, questioning Chadha’s absence from Delhi during such a critical time for his party.
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Similarly, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya raised concerns about Chadha’s presence in London while elections were underway in India. His post said, “Elections have been announced in India. But Raghav Chadha, Arvind Kejriwal’s blue-eyed boy, is in London! Why?”.
Further adding to the speculation, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar remarked on Chadha’s absence, highlighting the various speculations surrounding it. Despite these questions, Chadha’s purported reason for being in London is reportedly for eye treatment. Nonetheless, the Enforcement Directorate has mentioned Chadha’s name in the ongoing case, although he has not been officially summoned for questioning.
Amidst this, Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi has made claims regarding the agency’s potential arrest of Chadha and several other AAP members in the near future. The situation continues to evolve, with Chadha’s absence remaining a subject of keen interest and scrutiny within the political arena.
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