Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal marked a poignant day by paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat before surrendering himself to Tihar Jail later in the afternoon. Accompanied by his wife Sunita Kejriwal and several AAP leaders, including Delhi ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Raghav Chadha, and Kailash Gahlot, Kejriwal’s visit to the memorial underscored the solemnity of the day.
Following his tribute at Raj Ghat, Kejriwal visited the Hanuman temple in Connaught Place to seek blessings before heading to the AAP office to meet party workers and leaders. This sequence of events precedes his surrender to Tihar Jail, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive.
The Supreme Court had granted Kejriwal interim bail on May 10 to allow him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. This bail period concluded on June 2, necessitating his return to custody. In a heartfelt message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Kejriwal expressed gratitude towards the Supreme Court for the temporary relief and outlined his plans for the day.
“I came out for an election campaign for 21 days on the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. I am very grateful to the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Today I will surrender by going to Tihar,” Kejriwal wrote. He detailed his itinerary, stating, “I will leave home at 3 pm. First, I will go to Rajghat and pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. From there, I will go to the Hanuman temple in Connaught Place to seek the blessings of Hanuman Ji. And from there, I will go to the party office and meet all the workers and party leaders. From there, I will again leave for Tihar.”
Kejriwal concluded his message with an emotional note to his supporters: “All of you take care of yourselves. If you are happy, then your Kejriwal will also be happy in jail.”\
माननीय सुप्रीम कोर्ट के आदेश पर मैं 21 दिन चुनाव प्रचार के लिए बाहर आया। माननीय सुप्रीम कोर्ट का बहुत बहुत आभार।
आज तिहाड़ जाकर सरेंडर करूँगा। दोपहर 3 बजे घर से निकलूँगा। पहले राजघाट जाकर महात्मा गांधी जी को श्रद्धांजलि दूँगा। वहाँ से हनुमान जी का आशीर्वाद लेने कनॉट प्लेस स्थित…
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 2, 2024
Earlier attempts by Kejriwal to extend his interim bail were unsuccessful. The Supreme Court denied his plea for an extension on Wednesday, suggesting he seek regular bail from the trial court instead. Subsequently, Kejriwal approached the Rouse Avenue Court citing medical reasons, but the court reserved its decision on the interim bail plea until June 5.
In an emotional video message released on Friday, Kejriwal expressed his resolve and pride in facing incarceration. “The 21 days are getting over; I have to surrender. I don’t know how long they will keep me in jail this time. But my spirits are high. I am going to jail to save the country from dictatorship. I am proud of this. They tried to break me many times, tried to make me bow down but I didn’t,” he declared.
मुझे परसों सरेंडर करना है। माननीय सुप्रीम कोर्ट का बहुत-बहुत शुक्रिया। https://t.co/1uaCMKWFhV
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 31, 2024
Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is linked to a money laundering investigation concerning alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy for 2021-22. The policy, which aimed to reform Delhi’s liquor trade, was scrapped following accusations of corruption.
Also read: Arvind Kejriwal to Surrender at Tihar Jail as Interim Bail Expires
