Additional police forces were deployed near chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Thursday as ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders claimed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) planned to arrest him as he skipped the third summons for questioning in a money laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy.

In a post on X late on Wednesday night, AAP leader and minister Atishi said, “News coming in that ED is going to raid Arvind Kejriwal’s residence tomorrow morning. Arrest likely.”

A police officer said some deployment was made to ensure nobody breached an enclosure outside the chief minister’s residence after journalists and the public started gathering there following an X post on the likelihood of Kejriwal’s arrest. “Also, a protest by teachers is scheduled at the directorate of education, which is close to the chief minister’s residence. The police arrangement has been made in that regard as well. It will be incorrect to say that deployment of security personnel is related to ED’s action…we have not been informed about any such step,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.

The ED was expected to issue a fourth summons to Kejriwal even as an official of the agency said the repeated disregard of summons was scuttling the agency’s probe.

There was no ED confirmation on any action against Kejriwal on Thursday. AAP leader Jasmine Shah cited “reliable sources” about a possible raid and Kejriwal’s arrest. “You see the chronology before [AAP leader] Manish Sisodia was arrested. The BJP leaders started saying that Sisodia was going to be arrested. Then the ED dismissed the claims, but later he was arrested.” He added the same pattern followed before AAP Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh’s arrest. “…over the last 24 hours, every BJP leader was saying that Kejriwal will be arrested. …the arrest warrant will be issued from the BJP office.”

He cited the police deployment outside Kejriwal’s residence and said they will monitor the situation. Shah said the BJP has zero credibility to talk on corruption. “Questions are rising on the ED’s credibility as well. The country knows the ED’s raids and investigations are only targeted against the Opposition leaders.”

Shah said the investigation was going on for two years in the excise case but not a single rupee has been recovered. “They have not found a single reliable evidence, and even then they have put AAP leaders in jail. It is clear that they want to finish AAP and arrest Kejriwal before Lok Sabha polls,” said Shah.

Kejriwal’s office separately announced that he will address a public meeting and a workers’ conference besides meeting a jailed AAP lawmaker during a three-day tour of the BJP stronghold of Gujarat beginning January 6.

In a letter to the ED on Wednesday, Kejriwal described the ED’s actions as “opaque” and “motivated”, prompting the BJP to accuse him of being “staunchly corrupt”.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said Kejriwal claims to be an honest person. “…he should not run away from the investigation. He should go to the ED with his evidence.”