The Supreme Court on Friday, 10 May, granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till 1 June. Kejriwal was arrested from his official residence by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on 21 March, in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor excise policy scam.
Kejriwal walked out of Tihar jail on Friday evening to massive presence of AAP supporters to welcome him.
In his plea, Kejriwal had asked the Supreme Court for bail to be granted till 4 June (when results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be announced). However, the apex court reportedly rejected his plea and directed him to surrender on June 2.
The ruling was made by a two-judge Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta. Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers raised slogans in celebration outside the party's Delhi office.
hArvind Kejriwal
(Photo: PTI)
"August 2022, the ED registered the ECIR. He was arrested in March 2024. For one and a half years he was there. Arrest could have been even afterwards or before. Then, 21 days here or there should not make any difference," Justice Khanna was quoted as saying by LiveLaw.
“No doubt, serious accusations have been made, but he (ArvindKejriwal) has not been convicted. He does not have any criminal antecedents. He is not a threat to the society. The investigation in the present case has remained pending since August 2022,” the order read.
"We are passing an order giving him interim relief till June 1, 2024...we will upload the order by evening," Justice Khanna further said.
The ED had opposed Kejriwal's bail plea, arguing that there was no "fundamental" right that allows the AAP chief to claim bail in order to campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
"There are elections... these are extraordinary circumstances, and he [Kejriwal] is not a habitual offender," the Supreme Court bench reportedly said.
While the Supreme Court has reportedly let Kejriwal to campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, he is reportedly not allowed to visit his chief ministerial office or perform any official duties as it could have "cascading effects" on others. A bail bond of Rs 50,000 is to be furnished as well.
During his time in jail, the Delhi chief minister's wife Sunita Kejriwal stepped in and was seen campaigning for AAP's Lok Sabha candidates as well as participating in roadshows.
'Truth Has Triumphed': AAP on Kejriwal's Bail
Addressing a press conference minutes after Kejriwal's bail, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi said, "It is not just Arvind Kejriwal who has got interim bail but by Supreme Court's decision, truth has triumphed, this is a win of the Democracy & Constitution...The SC has played a major role in protecting Democracy..."
"Getting interim bail in 40 days is more than a miracle. Through SC, it is a hint from God that whatever is happening in India, a change is needed in that," AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said.
Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai further said, "Today the Supreme Court has given a ray of hope to all those who believe in the Constitution. Our party, people of Delhi thank the Supreme Court..."
AAP leader and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann thanked the Supreme Court and said, "Now we will fight the battle to save democracy with more vigour, Arvind Kejriwal is not a person but a thought, and now we move forward with this thought and with more speed."
Congress Welcomes Kejriwal's Bail, Hopes for Soren's Release
Congress leader Pawan Khera welcomed the Supreme Court order granting bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. "We welcome the intervention by the Supreme Court in granting interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal...We hope that the former chief minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren also gets due justice," Khera was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
"We also hope that the PM gets enough time after June 4 when he's is the former PM to introspect sitting in Sabarmati ashram at the kind of politics he has indulged into," he added.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)