The screening of a documentary, based on the time when several Aam Aadmi Party leaders were imprisoned, was cancelled on Saturday as the Delhi Police claimed the party had not obtained permission for it, reported The Indian Express.

The Aam Aadmi Party, on the other hand, claimed the screening of the documentary, titled Unbreakable, was cancelled on the directions of the Bharatiya Janata Party and called it an act of “dictatorship”.

Elections to Delhi’s 70-member Assembly will be held on February 5, while the votes will be counted on February 8.

The police stated that all parties are required to apply for permission through a single-window system at the district magistrate’s office for such events as the elections had been declared.

“This is a standard process during elections,” the police were quoted as saying by The Indian Express. “For the said event, no such permission was taken and hence it would have been a violation of guidelines. We urge all parties to follow the elections rules and regulations at this time.”

It added that the police cannot grant or cancel permission for such events “as all permissions for political activity are granted through the single-window system”.

No permission required: Arvind Kejriwal

In a press conference later in the day, Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal said that no permission was required for the screening, according to The Indian Express.

“Today, we had organised the screening of one of our films for the media,” said Kejriwal. “This was a private and not public screening but a lot of police force was pressed to stop the screening. Why is the BJP so afraid of this film?”

He added: “I have not seen it but I am told this is the story of AAP leaders being sent behind bars. It lifts the veil off a lot of conspiracies that were hatched to send AAP leaders behind bars.”

Kejriwal claimed there is no election-related message in the documentary.

“Why is the BJP so afraid?” he asked. “This is dictatorship.”

The former Delhi chief minister is one of the Aam Aadmi Party leaders accused in the liquor policy case. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21. The central law enforcement agency is investigating allegations of money laundering in the liquor policy case based on a first information report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Kejriwal was released on bail in September. A week later, he stepped down as the chief minister and was replaced by Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi.

The two central agencies have alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government modified Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy by increasing the commission for wholesalers from 5% to 12%. This allegedly facilitated the receipt of bribes from wholesalers who had a substantial market share and turnover.

Delhi’s former deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia was also arrested in the case, in February 2023 by the Central Bureau of Investigation. He was granted bail nearly 17 months later in August.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in May 2022 on allegations of laundering money through several companies allegedly linked to him.