New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday walked out of Tihar jail five months after he was arrested. His wife Sunita and daughter Harshita received him. Party leaders Sanjay Singh, Manish Sisodia, Atishi and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also welcomed him. He walked out of Gate number 3 of the jail.
The Supreme Court granted him bail in a corruption case related to the Delhi Excise Policy of 2021-22, which was filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over alleged irregularities in the policy’s formulation and implementation.
The top court with Justices Suryakant and Bhuinya presiding, granted bail to Kejriwal in the CBI case. While both judges agreed on granting bail, they differed in their views regarding his arrest; Justice Suryakant found the arrest justified, whereas Justice Bhuinya questioned the timing.
Conditions of bail
The court set bail at a bond of Rs 10 lakh and imposed several conditions on Kejriwal. He is prohibited from visiting the Delhi Chief Minister’s office, signing any official documents and making public statements about the case. That apart, he must fully cooperate with the bail process, refrain from contacting witnesses and appear in the trial court as required.
Party leaders react
Party leader Manish Sisodia praised the decision, claiming it reaffirmed Kejriwal’s honesty and patriotism, despite many conspiracies against him by the BJP. Sunita Kejriwal, the AAP chief’s wife, congratulated party members for their resilience and expressed hope for the release of other leaders. The AAP, in multiple posts on X, said that “truth can be bothered but never defeated.” Party MP Raghav Chadha celebrated the ruling, expressing gratitude to the Supreme Court for Kejriwal’s release.
What is the excise policy case?
Earlier, on July 12, the Supreme Court had granted bail to Kejriwal in the case. The latest bail, however, is related to a separate case being investigated by the CBI, which revolves around allegations of corruption connected to the Delhi government’s Excise Policy 2021-22.
The policy, which was subsequently withdrawn, is at the heart of the ongoing investigation. Both the CBI and ED allege that Kejriwal manipulated the policy to favour certain license holders, resulting in accusations of financial misconduct. Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal was initially called in for questioning in this matter in October 2022.
