Another AAP leader was arrested today, adding to Aam Aadmi Party’s woes. Gopal Italia, a senior leader of the AAP in Gujarat, was detained by the Crime Branch of the Surat Police for making a contentious remark about the state’s BJP president CR Patil and home minister Harsh Sanghvi. He was eventually released on bail today.
AAP National Jt Secy Gopal Italia was arrested by Surat Crime Branch for his alleged remarks on Gujarat HM Harsh Sanghavi. He was later granted bail.
— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2023
"Since offences in the FIR were bailable, Crime Branch let me go. AAP showed its strength in the last election in Gujarat, which… pic.twitter.com/F1fTbZNQYQ
Italia was detained as a result of a viral video that surfaced last year in which he was heard calling Harsh Sanghvi “Drugs Sanghvi.” A complaint was filed against him, following which he was arrested by the Crime Branch of Surat Police. Italia is no stranger to such problems; in the past, he has also made offensive remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother.
The arrest of Italia comes as several other AAP leaders, including Satyendar Jain and former deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia, are being held in Tihar jail on various charges. Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the AAP and the Chief Minister of Delhi, was recently interrogated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the excise (liquor) policy scam for more than nine hours on Sunday, April 16.
The arrest of Italia has once again brought attention to the AAP’s leaders’ purported inappropriate behaviour and controversies. This most recent incident only compounds the party’s problems as it continues to experience legal difficulties and political setbacks across the nation.
Italia’s arrest is linked to his derogatory remark against Harsh Sanghvi and CR Patil, wherein he referred to Sanghvi as “drugs Sanghvi” in a viral video that had caused a stir in political circles, and a case was filed against Italia based on a complaint filed by a BJP worker. The case was later handed over to the Crime Branch, which arrested Italia for his alleged defamatory comments.
Italia’s controversial statements have been a cause of concern for AAP in the past as well. Last year, he was detained by the Delhi Police and taken to the Sarita Vihar police station for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A video of Italia calling PM Modi a “neech aadmi” (a lowly person) surfaced, reportedly from 2019 during the run-up to the general elections. The video was widely shared on social media, and it sparked controversy, drawing criticism from various quarters.
AAP’s national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, who has been leading the party’s charge in various state elections, including Gujarat, has also faced intense questioning by investigative agencies in recent times. The CBI’s questioning of Kejriwal in connection with the excise (liquor) policy scam has further intensified the spotlight on AAP and its leaders.
