Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Admi Party Chief Arvind Kejriwal will be out of jail today, June 21, after the city’s Rouse Avenue Court granted him bail on ₹1 lakh bond yesterday.
Special Judge Niyay Bindu granted the bail which is in relation to a money laundering case linked to a now-scrapped excise policy, also known as the alleged Delhi liquor excise policy scam.
The court, however, imposed certain conditions on Kejriwal before granting him the relief — he should not try to hamper the investigation or influence the witnesses. The vacation bench judge also directed Kejriwal to appear before the court whenever required and to cooperate with the investigation.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will today move the Delhi High Court against the trial court’s judgement in this matter, as per an ANI reported citing official sources.
AAP Reacts: ‘Truth Cannot be Defeated’
Welcoming the court’s decision, the AAP said, “Truth can be troubled, but not defeated. Rejecting all objections of BJP’s ED, the Hon’ble Court has granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister.”
Welcoming the court’s decision, Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi posted on X, “Satyamev Jayate”. Senior AAP leader Raghav Chadha also lauded the “victory of justice”.
“Truth can be troubled but not defeated. This is the victory of justice, the victory of truth. Heartfelt thanks to the honourable court for granting bail to Arvind Kejriwal ji,” Chadha said.
AAP supporters also celebrated by bursting firecrackers outside Kejriwal’s residence of Delhi.
Opposition Says Bail ‘Long Overdue’
Also reacting to the news, leaders of opposition parties called the court’s decision “long overdue”.
“Congratulations. Kejriwal gets bail. Long overdue. From the prosecutions standpoint now that elections are over no need to keep him in jail! The justice delivery system has been unfair!” Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).
“The bail of Delhi’s popular Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal ji is another victory of truth. The power and unity of the ‘India Alliance’ is going to liberate the people of India from the painful rule of BJP. Very soon India will form a coalition government,” said Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
He further alleged that the ED’s statements are based on lies. “At such a time, Arvind Kejriwal’s release from jail will strengthen democracy. This is good news for the country and the people of Delhi. ED’s statements so far are based on lies. This is a baseless fake case created to implicate Kejriwal ji. #ArvindKejriwal #AAP #Delhi,” he wrote on X.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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Published: 21 Jun 2024, 08:04 AM IST