AAP reacts as Arvind Kejriwal is granted interim bail by SC
On Friday, the Supreme Court granted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal temporary bail in a money-laundering case brought by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi liquor policy. Although Supreme court granted Kejriwal bail in ED case, he will stay in jail because he was also detained in a corruption case by the CBI.
The Supreme Court also forwarded Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate to a upper bench. During the hearing on Kejriwal's bail application, the Supreme Court further stated that the court cannot order an elected person to resign and that the choice must be taken by the Chief Minister himself.
The ED detained Mr Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) head, on March 21 in a money laundering case related to the purported Delhi liquor policy fraud. In his suit, the 55-year-old challenged the Delhi High Court's April 9 ruling denying to provide relief. The high court supported Mr Kejriwal's detention in the matter, stating there was no wrongdoing and that the central investigative agency had "little option" after he ignored multiple summonses and refused to cooperate with the inquiry.
The Delhi government withdrew from retail liquor sales under the excise policy, which went into effect in November 2021, and instead allowed private licensees to handle shops. In July 2022, Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar accused severe breaches of the rules and "undue benefits" to liquor licensees. The policy was abolished in September of that year.
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While the AAP praised the ruling and claimed that the Supreme Court had "exposed the BJP's conspiracy," the saffron party demanded Arvind Kejriwal's resignation. "Satyamev Jayate" was the AAP's initial response to the Supreme Court's decision. The party shared a photo of Kejriwal holding a tricolor and captioned "Satyamev Jayate" on its official X account.
The BJP responded to the AAP by noting that the Chief Minister was granted bail, not acquitted. "Getting interim bail does not imply being cleared of the offense. Arvind Kejriwal is guilty of the liquor fraud and is the brains behind it. He has plundered the people of Delhi, and the problem remains unresolved," said Delhi BJP head Virendra Sachdeva.
Following the Supreme Court's decision, AAP leaders swiftly criticized the BJP. Following the judgment, Delhi Minister Atishi held a news conference and referred to it as a historic verdict. Sandeep Pathak, AAP national general secretary, accused the BJP of creating a "circus" over the tax policy issue. He made the claim: "The Supreme Court has demolished the so-called liquor scam hatched by the BJP."
"SC also said various times when granted bail that no proof had been discovered and that the ED is biased. Is Arvind Kejriwal's arrest illegal? "The Supreme Court has referred this to the higher court," Pathak said.
Sanjay Singh, an AAP MP, addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating, "Modi Ji, how long will you cage the truth by bringing bogus cases? "The entire country is watching your dictatorship."
He continued, "Whether in the ED court or the Supreme Court, everyone feels that Arvind Kejriwal has been unfairly accused by the ED. The Supreme Court's ruling is a win for truth. "Down with the dictatorship," he wrote on X.
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