The twists and turns in the Arvind Kejriwal arrest refuse to abate. The latest came on Friday when the Supreme Court granted the Delhi chief minister interim bail in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case filed by the Enforcement Directorate.
Granting bail, the Supreme Court noted that the Delhi CM has “suffered incarceration of 90 days” in custody and acknowledged his status as an elected leader. During the bail plea hearing for Kejriwal, the Supreme Court said that it lacks the authority to mandate the removal of an elected representative, stating that such decisions must be made by the chief minister himself.
However, despite being granted bail by the Supreme Court, Kejriwal will remain inside the Tihar jail as he has been remanded in prevention of corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the same liquor policy scam, for which he was arrested on June 26. The CBI is probing alleged irregularities in the policy's formulation. Kejriwal had challenged his arrest by the CBI before the Delhi High Court as well as sought bail in the CBI case; the court will hear the case next on July 17.
Earlier, the SC Bench had granted interim bail to Kejriwal until June 1 so that he could participate in the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign. Following the expiration of his interim bail, Kejriwal returned to jail on June 2.
The Aam Aadmi Party welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision asserting that the move has uncovered BJP’s “conspiracy” against Arvind Kejriwal. The bail in the ED case, which was more difficult to secure due to stringent PMLA provisions, has also come as a relief to the senior leaders of the AAP who have been holding the fort in his absence. A joint press conference by Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, hailed the Supreme Court verdict as a “victory of truth” even as the party in a post in Hindi on X wrote, “Satyamev Jayate”.
Calling the SC order“historic” and a “big relief”, Pathak said that when the BJP cannot stop any political party, it jails its leaders and in such a situation, the Supreme Court order is very welcoming. “I believe that party is not important, the country is. It is very important in the national interest, that a dictator doesn't attempt to finish off a party like this. So, such decisions should be written in golden letters in the history of the country,” Pathak said.
Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the bail by the Supreme Court is a huge thing. “Centre had anticipated that the Supreme Court would grant him bail in the ED matter. So, to ensure that he continues to be in jail even after bail, the CBI arrested him. The burden of proof lies on the CBI. So, I don't think there will be much issue. It's just a matter of time that Arvind Kejriwal will come out of jail,” he added.
Sources within the party say that the release of Arvind Kejriwal from jail is absolutely necessary for them to focus on the upcoming polls in Delhi as most of their energies are consumed in legalities. “We are one step closer to get him out and it is going to change a lot of things outside. The focus has to shift to the Delhi assembly polls,” said a source.
BJP, meanwhile, stuck to their stance that the bail is interim and Kejriwal is still an accused. “Interim bail provides for one to stay out of jail as the case proceeds. But it doesn't mean that Arvind Kejriwal has been proven not guilty. Perhaps the Supreme Court has allowed him to be out and work as the people of Delhi are suffering,” she said. “Interim bail doesn't mean that one is acquitted. And the people of Delhi know the Delhi CM’s involvement in corruption cases.”