CBI Raids AAP's Durgesh Pathak After Gujarat Role: Party Cries Foul

The CBI raided AAP leader Durgesh Pathak's Delhi home, the party's new Gujarat election co-incharge, in a case of FCRA violation, arousing charges of political vendetta. AAP leaders attributed the timing to Pathak's work in strategizing for the 2027 Gujarat elections, charging the BJP with being afraid of its increasing clout in the state.

The raids, conducted on April 17, are part of an investigation into alleged irregularities under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). While the CBI has not officially disclosed specifics, sources claim the case involves foreign funding norms. Pathak, a former Delhi MLA, was named Gujarat co-incharge last month alongside Gopal Rai, signaling AAP’s push to challenge the BJP in PM Modi’s home state.

Senior AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Atishi, and Sanjay Singh blamed the BJP for employing central agencies to scuttle AAP's electoral chances. Sisodia described the raid as a "BJP fear conspiracy," while Atishi said it was a sign of BJP's "frustration" with AAP's Gujarat chances. Singh labeled it a "dirty political game" to scare the party.

The raid is part of a trend of AAP leaders being investigated, such as Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's arrest in the liquor policy scandal. AAP's four Gujarat MLAs and presence in municipal corporations such as Surat have made it a possible challenger to the BJP's stronghold. The party presented the raid as proof of BJP's "shrinking base" in Gujarat.

The episode heats up Centre-AAP tensions, with the opposition sure to characterize it as a misuse of federal agencies. It also challenges AAP's capacity to juggle legal wars with its Gujarat 2027 game plan, where it seeks to emulate its Punjab triumph.