BJP On Arvind Kejriwal's Interim Bail: 'Involved In Liquor Scam, Will Have To Go Back To Jail After LS Polls'

The Supreme Court granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal until June 1 for Lok Sabha elections campaigning and has asked him to surrender on June 2.

File photo of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

Source : PTI

After the Supreme Court on Friday granted an interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy case, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said he would have to go back to jail again after June 1. The BJP leader stated that the Supreme Court granted Delhi CM bail the same way it does to "hardcore" criminals, even the court accepted that he is corrupt, that is the reason he is out for just 15 days. 

"It is clear from the Supreme Court judgement that he has been granted bail for elections only. He will have to go back to jail after June 1," the BJP leader was quoted as saying by ANI.

#WATCH | On interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal in excise policy case, BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa says, "It is clear from the Supreme Court judgement that he has been granted bail for elections only. He will have to go back to jail after June 1..." pic.twitter.com/R5K95qfk8H

— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2024

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21, in connection with a case related to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's now scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.

Echoing similar sentiments, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said, "I want to say that a new chapter of corruption is being written in the country. They came in the name of removing corruption and themselves got drowned in it".

#WATCH | On interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma says, "I want to say that a new chapter of corruption is being written in the country. They came in the name of removing corruption and themselves got drowned in it..." pic.twitter.com/NHAXqfajsE

— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2024

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said that interim getting bail doesn't mean Arvind Kejriwal has been proven innocent. "He has been granted bail for the election campaign till June 1 but what after that? Getting interim bail does not mean that you have been proven innocent...It will not affect the elections, BJP will win all 7 seats of Delhi," he told ANI. 

#WATCH | On interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva says, "He has been granted bail for the election campaign till June 1 but what after that. Getting interim bail does not mean that you have been proven innocent...It will not affect the… pic.twitter.com/ViarxvGA8n

— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2024

Reacting to the development, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nipuram said jail and bail both are secondary, the primary thing is that he should be removed from the post of Delhi Chief Minister. "Instead of jail or bail, first he should be removed from the CM post. How can an accused run the government from jail?" Nirupam told ANI. 

#WATCH | Mumbai | Interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal till June 1, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nipuram says, "Instead of jail or bail, first he should be removed from the CM post. How can an accused run the government from jail?" pic.twitter.com/Qc7WL3EhMx

— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2024

A bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta granted the interim bail to the Delhi CM, noting that "21 days here or there should not make a difference" and that the AAP supremo can surrender after the election campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections ends on June 1.

The apex court also stated that it would try to complete the hearing of Kejriwal's petition, challenging the arrest by the Enforcement Directorate at the earliest.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stated that in case the Delhi CM is granted interim bail, he will not be allowed to undertake any official duty as the Chief Minister.

Responding to this, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said on behalf of the Delhi CM that he is willing to present an undertaking for this and will avoid signing any official files, if granted interim bail.