New Delhi/IBNS: The Enforcement Directorate Wednesday filed an affidavit defending its arrest of Arvind Kejriwal stating that the Delhi Chief Minister was taken into custody after he evaded nine summons and only after the High Court refused to grant him interim relief. 

Soon after the affidavit, Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party alleged the central agency was just a "machine churning out lies" at the behest of the BJP.

The court will hear Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest by the agency in the Delhi liquor policy case.

On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate filed an affidavit contesting it. In the affidavit, the agency has contended that despite issuing summons nine times, Kejriwal did not appear for questioning, media reports said.

Kejriwal was avoiding questioning, the agency had contended.

The probe agency said there was a possibility of evidence tampering. For example, it said 170 cellphones were altered and destroyed by 36 persons during the period of the scam.

"The BJP wants to stop Arvind Kejriwal from campaigning... This is not an ED investigation, this is a BJP investigation," the party said.

The AAP said the ED is working like a political ally of the BJP and the ED has not a shred of evidence against Kejriwal and the other leaders it arrested.

The matter went to the Supreme Court earlier this month after the Delhi High Court validated Kejriwal's arrest. 

The top court, however, refused an early hearing and asked the agency to file its response to his petition by April 26. The court was closed (for Eid) when the AAP leader approached it.

The matter will be heard next week.