Supreme Court grants Kejriwal interim bail for campaigning in the Lok Sabha
- EP News Service
- May 10, 2024
AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal gets interim bail
NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who had been jailed in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise scam, was released from Tihar Jail on Friday evening. This followed the Supreme Court granting him interim bail to allow him to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections, providing a significant boost to his party, which had been struggling in his absence. The court allowed Kejriwal 21 days of freedom to campaign for the remaining phases of the elections after spending 50 days in custody. He is required to surrender on June 2, a day after the last phase of the seven-phase poll concludes.
The Supreme Court made it clear that the bail was solely for election campaigning purposes, prohibiting Kejriwal from performing any duties as the Chief Minister of Delhi. He was barred from visiting his office or the Delhi secretariat and signing official documents unless it was necessary to obtain the lieutenant governor's approval.
Kejriwal, 55, expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court judges for the interim bail and to the public for their support. "We have to save the country from dictatorship. I will fight with all my might but need the support of 140 crore people," Kejriwal told the media after leaving Tihar Jail, dressed in a round-neck T-shirt and trousers. Smiling broadly and waving at his supporters from the sunroof of his car, he invited them to join him at the Hanuman temple in Connaught Place at 11 am on Saturday for his 'darshan'. Yellow AAP flags with the party's broom election symbol fluttered as his vehicle moved towards the chief minister's official residence.
On Saturday, he participated in a roadshow in Mehrauli with his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, marking his first roadshow since being granted interim bail. Kejriwal, vocal and resolute, addressed the crowds, criticizing the BJP-led central government and pledging to challenge what he termed "dictatorship" during his campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
Reflecting on his time in jail, Kejriwal expressed dismay at his treatment. "They arrested me. I used to wonder what my fault was. They, however, are very powerful... My fault is that I have built good schools and hospitals for the people of Delhi," he said. He also alleged that he was deprived of insulin, essential for his diabetes, during his incarceration, highlighting the alleged mistreatment he faced.
Kejriwal pledged to work tirelessly during his bail period, stating that he would work 36 hours a day to spread his message across the country. He predicted that the BJP would not win on June 4, asserting the rise of the “INDIA bloc” in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Kejriwal is scheduled to surrender on June 2 after his bail period ends.
Reporter
Crisp, and to the point news coverage from India and around the world.
View Reporter News