The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched fresh attacks against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal just hours after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the alleged liquor policy scam case. The court noted that Kejriwal’s “prolonged incarceration (in jail since March) amounts to unjust deprivation of liberty,” a decision that set off a storm of reactions from the opposition. BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia led the charge with a scathing critique, dubbing Kejriwal as the “‘kattar beimaan’ (outright dishonest) and ‘bail wala’ Chief Minister.”
At a press conference, Bhatia stated, “The Supreme Court has shown a mirror to ‘kattar beimaan’ Arvind Kejriwal once again. He has got conditional bail… ‘jail wala’ is now ‘bail wala’.” The BJP has been vocal in its demand for Kejriwal’s resignation ever since he faced accusations of corruption and money laundering from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Renewed Calls for Kejriwal’s Resignation
Following the court’s decision, the BJP renewed its call for Kejriwal to step down. Bhatia argued that the Delhi Chief Minister should resign, reflecting what he claimed was the sentiment of the people of Delhi. “Most important is that Kejriwal should resign… as per the voice of people of Delhi. But he will not do because he does not have a drop of morality (in him),” he said. “He used to say a politician should resign even if there is an allegation… but now he is on bail after being in jail for six months.”
Virendra Sachdeva, the BJP’s Delhi unit chief, echoed Bhatia’s sentiment, arguing that the bail conditions restricted Kejriwal from fulfilling his duties. “He should step down if he cannot work while in the post,” Sachdeva said, highlighting that the court had imposed limitations on Kejriwal’s role as Chief Minister.
Supreme Court’s Conditions on Kejriwal’s Bail
The Supreme Court granted bail to Kejriwal but imposed strict conditions on his activities. According to the court, Kejriwal is prohibited from visiting his office or the Delhi Secretariat while on bail. Additionally, he cannot sign government files unless his consent is cleared by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, the central government’s representative in Delhi.
Kejriwal had also sought the court’s intervention to declare his arrest by the CBI as illegal. However, the two-judge bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan was divided on this point. Justice Kant did not find fault with the CBI’s actions, while Justice Bhuyan questioned the timing of the agency’s arrest.
Kejriwal’s legal troubles began when he was arrested by the ED on March 21, followed by the CBI on June 26 while still in ED custody. His lawyers argued that the CBI’s arrest was a strategic move to keep him in jail, criticizing the agency for not taking him into custody earlier when it had the opportunity.
AAP’s Celebrations and Reactions
Amid the political backlash, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) celebrated Kejriwal’s release, viewing it as a victory against what they called politically motivated charges. Sunita Kejriwal, the Chief Minister’s wife, who had delivered impassioned speeches during his incarceration, condemned the BJP’s actions, saying, “They want to jail opposition leaders and stay in power…”
Senior AAP leaders and party workers also expressed joy over Kejriwal’s release. Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who himself has faced legal battles, praised the court’s decision, stating, “Today, once again, truth has won in the fight against lies and conspiracies.”
Atishi, Kejriwal’s successor as Delhi’s Education Minister, also voiced her support, declaring, “Truth can be troubled, but not defeated.” AAP MP Raghav Chadha echoed the sentiment, celebrating Kejriwal’s return and emphasizing the party’s longing for his leadership. “Welcome back, Arvind Kejriwal, we missed you!” Chadha said on social media platform X.
