In an interesting turn of events amid the Lok Sabha Elections, the Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Delhi CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal till June 1.
SC’s reason for the bail
In the instant case of Arvind Kejriwal v. Directorate of Enforcement, 2024, the bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta granted interim bail for campaigning in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. While considering that Kejriwal is the Chief Minister of Delhi and leader of one of the national parties.
Supreme Court said, “No doubt, serious accusations have been made, but he has not been convicted. He does not have any criminal antecedents. He is not a threat to society” while addressing the issue of an under-trial person being granted bail for campaigning for the polls.
Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is contesting the Lok Sabha Elections in five states/Union Territories—Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Chandigarh, and Goa—in alliance with the Congress. 
Further, the court said that he will “surrender on June 2”.
A free Kejriwal!
तानाशाही का अंत करने,
वो आ रहा है…. pic.twitter.com/3OvcgBPiEo— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 10, 2024
As Arvind Kejriwal stepped out of Tihar jail after spending 50 days there, he said, “Our Aam Aadmi Party is a small party, present in two states. But the Prime Minister left no stone unturned to crush our party and sent four leaders to jail simultaneously. If four top leaders of big parties go to jail, the party ends. The Prime Minister wants to crush AAP. PM Modi himself believes that AAP is the one that will give the future to the country.”
He further alleged that Prime Minister Modi had resorted to dictatorship in a democracy. He said, “I am fighting against that dictator, but I cannot do anything alone. I have come to beg 140 crore people to support me in saving the country from this dictator. The Supreme Court has given me 21 days to travel across the country. Every drop of my blood is for the country.”
Further, he took to his X handle sharing his schedule for May 11 and urges citizens to join him.
हनुमान जी के आशीर्वाद से, करोड़ों करोड़ों लोगों की दुआओं से और सुप्रीम कोर्ट के judges के न्याय की वजह से आप सब लोगों के बीच लौट कर मुझे बेहद ख़ुशी हो रही है।
आज मिलते हैं –
11 am – हनुमान मंदिर, कनॉट प्लेस
1 pm – प्रेस कांफ्रेंस, पार्टी ऑफिस
4 pm – रोड शो – दक्षिण दिल्ली -…
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 11, 2024
On Saturday morning, Arvind Kejriwal and his wife, Sunita Kejriwal, visited Delhi’s famous Hanuman Temple to show their strength.
SC imposes restrictions
Despite the custodial release, the court has imposed certain restrictions upon Kejriwal during the tenure of his interim bail. These include:
- He cannot visit his office or the Delhi Secretariat.
- He cannot discharge any official duties as Chief Minister.
- Restricted to sign any official file unless absolutely necessary.
- He is prohibited from commenting on his role in the present case, will not have access to the case’s files, and will not interact with any of the witnesses.
Additionally, he has been directed to furnish bail bonds of ₹50,000.
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), for participating in the alleged scam of the Delhi liquor policy case.
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