Arvind Kejriwal to Surrender at Tihar Jail as Interim Bail Expires

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that he will be surrendering at Tihar Jail on Sunday, June 2, as his 21-day interim bail that was granted by the Supreme Court, draws to a close. While announcing his decision to surrender, Kejriwal expressed his wish to visit certain places before his surrender. These places included Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Rajghat and the Prachin Hanuman temple in Connaught Place.

In a heartfelt message shared that the Delhi CM shared on his on social media handle on X (formerly Twitter), Kejriwal expressed his gratitude to the Hon’ble Supreme Court for allowing him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections during his interim bail period. He stated, “I came out for 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. 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 Hanuman temple in Connaught Place to seek 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. All of you take care of yourselves. I will take care of you all in jail. If you are happy then your Kejriwal will also be happy in jail.”

Kejriwal’s release on interim bail on May 10 enabled him to participate in election activities. However, with the expiration of his bail approaching, he is preparing to fulfill his legal obligations by surrendering at Tihar Jail.

Earlier his plea to extend his interim bail on medical grounds, where Kejriwal had sought a seven-day extension, citing health concerns and the need for medical tests, was rejected by the supreme Court. The plea was reportedly not urgently listed by the Supreme Court registry. Subsequently, he moved a special court seeking bail on medical grounds, with a reserved decision expected on June 5.

The 55-year-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in the Delhi excise policy case. The ED claimed that Kejriwal was involved in a conspiracy that was related to a purported ₹100-crore bribe which was paid to the AAP by the South Group, a lobby of liquor dealers. The payment was allegedly tied to the Delhi’s excise policy for 2021-22, which aimed to overhaul the liquor business but was later revoked due to allegations of irregularities.

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