The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday hailed the Supreme Court verdict granting bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged excise policy scam. The AAP leaders welcomed back their party's national convener and said the truth always triumphs.
Hailing the Supreme Court verdict, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha said the truth can be rattled, but it can't be defeated. "Welcome back Arvind Kejriwal, we missed you! Truth can be rattled but not defeated! Finally, the Honourable Supreme Court has given its decision to release Delhi's son Arvind Kejriwal from the shackles of jail," he said.
AAP leader Manish Sisodia also welcomed the top court's judgement and said, the top court has observed that the arrest by CBI was done to prevent Arvind Kejriwal from the relief given in the ED case. "Today, we salute and thank the Supreme Court, Constitution of India and Baba Saheb (Ambedkar) because the truth has prevailed and lies have been exposed," he told media persons.
"Today once again truth has won in the fight against lies and conspiracies. I once again pay my tribute to the thinking and foresight of Baba Saheb Ambedkar ji, who 75 years ago had strengthened the common man against any future dictator," he said in an earlier post on X.
Reacting to the verdict, Delhi Minister Atishi said, "Truth alone triumphs, Truth can be rattled, but not defeated."
Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal also welcomed the verdict and said, "Congratulations to the AAP family! Wishing also the soonest release of our other leaders."
After the top court's verdict, AAP National General Secretary (Organisation) Sandeep Pathak called it a "huge day" not just for the party, but for the whole nation and "every person who has faith in the judicial process". "This is the victory of the truth. We welcome the court's decision," Pathak said.
Party's MP Sanjay Singh also reacted to the development and said Kejriwal made "the dictator" bow down. "BJP and Modi government tried to destroy Aam Aadmi Party and Kejriwal ji by creating a mountain of lies but they forgot that truth always wins and injustice always ends. Kejriwal ji will come out today. Now we will strongly concentrate on the assembly elections of Haryana and Delhi. The end of the dictatorial government of the Center is near," he said.
In a major relief to Kejriwal, the Supreme Court on Friday granted him bail in the corruption case linked to the alleged liquor policy scam. Apart from allowing Kejriwal’s bail plea, Justice Surya Kant, heading a two-judge bench dismissed his distinct plea challenging the legality of arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged liquor scam.
The other judge, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, authored a separate opinion raising serious questions on the timings of arrest by the CBI and held the belated arrest by the central agency to be unjustified.
"Arvind Kejriwal has been granted bail and he will be coming out of jail today. Two judgments have come on the legality of his arrest, one says that it is not legal. The other judgment says that the arrest is completely illegal and the way CBI has acted is illegal as well; he should be released. Scathing remarks were made against CBI and it was said that they (CBI) are acting as 'caged parrot' as it was said in earlier judgments as well," said advocate Rishikesh Kumar on Supreme Court's verdict.
Recently, the top court also allowed bail pleas of senior AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, BRS leader K. Kavitha, and AAP's former communication-in-charge Vijay Nair in the excise policy case. The Supreme Court, on July 12, ordered CM Kejriwal to be released on interim bail in connection with the money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). However, he was not able to walk out of jail since he was arrested by the CBI.