Arvind Kejriwal's packed schedule on first day after getting bail
Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, is back on the campaign trail following his release from Tihar Jail on interim bail on Friday. To start off his campaign, Kejriwal said he will go to Hanuman Temple at Connaught Place "to seek the blessings of Lord Hanuman" at 11:am on Saturday. Later, he will hold a press conference at the party office at 1:00pm. In the evening, he will participate in a roadshow in South Delhi, along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.
Why does this story matter?
The Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail till June 1, nearly two months after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Delhi excise policy case. Kejriwal will have to surrender and go back to jail on June 2. While his interim bail conditions restrict him from attending his office as chief minister, the Delhi CM is permitted to participate in poll campaigning.
Kejriwal urges voters to 'save the country from dictatorship'
In his first address following his release, Kejriwal urged voters to "save the country from dictatorship." "Our great country is over 4,000 years old... Whenever anyone tried to impose dictatorship on this country, the people never tolerated it. Today the country is passing through a phase of dictatorship. I am fighting against it with all my strength." "But 1.4 billion people will have to defeat this dictatorship together," Kejriwal said while talking to the media outside his residence.
Kejriwal's release elicits mixed reactions from political circles
Kejriwal's release was met with varied reactions from political parties. His wife, Sunita Kejriwal, celebrated his bail as a victory of democracy. Opposition parties also welcomed the Supreme Court's decision. However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders criticized the opposition and reminded them that Kejriwal is not proven innocent but is out on bail until June 1. More than 1,000 supporters greeted the AAP leader as he walked out of Tihar Jail on Friday evening.
Delhi liquor policy case
The ED arrested Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the Delhi excise policy, which was introduced in November 2021. However, less than a year later, it abandoned it following widespread corruption accusations. Central investigation agencies asserted that wholesaler profit margins were artificially inflated to 12% from 5%, promoting cartelization and benefiting ineligible license holders. The Kejriwal-led Delhi administration had refuted the allegations, arguing that the policy would have boosted revenue.
