Arvind Kejriwal gets bail: BJP wants to jail opposition leaders and stay in power, says Delhi CM's wife

Arvind Kejriwal`s wife Sunita distributes sweets to AAP workers after the Delhi CM was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Friday. Pic/PTI

Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, shortly after the Supreme Court (SC) granted bail to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Convener. She said that the BJP's plans have been ruined following the Delhi CM's bail as the party wants to jail the opposition leaders to remain in power, news agency ANI reported.

"BJP's plans have been washed away. They want to jail the opposition leaders and stay in power. Their only goal is this," said Sunita Kejriwal.

She along with other AAP leaders, including former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Minister Atishi, and Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Singh, distributed sweets to celebrate Arvind Kejriwal's bail.

Sunita Kejriwal also congratulated the "AAP family" for "staying strong" and wished for the release of other party leaders who are in jail.

"Congratulations to AAP family! Kudos for staying strong Wishing also the soonest release of our other leaders," Sunita Kejriwal said in a post on X.

Message to BJP to stop dictatorship, says AAP leader Manish Sisodia

Welcoming the SC decision, AAP Member of Parliament (MP) Raghav Chadha said, "I thank the Supreme Court... He (Arvind Kejriwal) is not just a name, but a brand of honest politics. He had to go to jail for six months because of his increasing popularity... AAP will get more strength. I welcome the decision. Welcome back, Arvind Kejriwal. We will make a further strategy after reading the final order of the Supreme Court to understand the conditions under which the bail has been given. There is a wave of joy in Delhi and the country. Arvind Kejriwal will lead the campaign for AAP in the upcoming Haryana elections now."

On Friday, SC granted bail to Delhi CM in a corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged excise policy scam. The top court said prolonged incarceration amounts to unjust deprivation of liberty.

Following the SC's decision, former Deputy CM of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, said the court has given a big message to the BJP-led Centre to "stop its dictatorship".

At a press conference in Delhi, Sisodia said the court's decision to grant bail to Arvind Kejriwal came as a "big relief" for the party and its workers.

He said the top court order is important not just for AAP but also as an assurance that if anyone resorted to "dictatorship", SC would ensure the dominance of the Constitution. "BJP was using the agencies to keep Kejriwal in jail. CBI deliberately arrested Kejriwal to keep him in prison. So CBI arrested him after he got bail in the ED case. CBI fulfilled the intentions of the BJP," Sisodia alleged.

"The bail order is a big slap on BJP's face. The court noted that CBI was acting like a caged parrot," he added and advised BJP to introspect as it has been "completely exposed", and "apologise to the country for keeping a staunchly honest leader like Arvind Kejriwal in jail".

Dictatorship has to lose one day: Delhi Minister

Responding to BJP's statement that the bail is conditional and that Arvind Kejriwal continues to be an accused in the corruption case, the former deputy CM said, "BJP is talking about bail conditions imposed on Kejriwal because it is scared."

AAP Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Singh claimed that the whole excise policy case was based on a foundation of "lies" to "defame Kejriwal and finish off AAP.

"Kejriwal's bail granted by the Supreme Court is proof that the BJP's mountain of lies has now collapsed," he said.

"AAP will defeat BJP in the Haryana and Delhi polls. Kejriwal's presence will strengthen us," Singh added.

Delhi Minister Gopal Rai took a swipe at BJP and said "no matter how strong dictatorship is, it has to lose one day."

"Congratulations to everyone. Delhi CM is coming out now. There is joy among people," he said.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also welcomed the decision and said that "truth has won."

"Finally, the truth has won... 'AAP' supremo Arvind Kejriwal has been granted bail by the honourable Supreme Court... The bail granted to Kejriwal has proved that the truth can never be suppressed," Mann said in a post on X.

Arvind Kejriwal has been given bail on a bond of Rs 10 lakh.

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22. On June 26, he was arrested by CBI while he was in ED's custody in the excise case.

(With PTI and ANI inputs)