The Aam Aadmi Party praised the Supreme Court on Friday for granting interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy scam case filed by the Enforcement Directorate, asserting that this move has uncovered a BJP “conspiracy” against him.
Despite being granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in the excise policy scam case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the AAP, will remain in jail due to his subsequent arrest by the CBI in connection with a corruption case linked to the alleged scam. CBI arrested Kejriwal, who was under the ED's custody.
In a joint press conference, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Sandeep Pathak hailed the Supreme Court verdict as a “victory of truth.”
Pathak said the Supreme Court's verdict is “definitely a relief”.
"When they can't stop this party, they jail all the leaders of the party. So, in such a situation, the Supreme Court order is very soothing. I believe that the party is not important; the country is. It is very important in the national interest that a dictator doesn't attempt to finish off a party like this. So, such decisions should be written in golden letters in the country's history," Pathak said.
AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak termed the court order “historic” and alleged that the excise policy case was a “circus” by the BJP.
Earlier, the party said in a Hindi post on X, “Satyamev Jayate (truth alone triumphs).”
Punjab minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the BJP had made a false case of excise policy scam by conspiring against several AAP leaders.
“They arrested Arvind Kejriwal. Today, the apex court said that this matter be referred to a larger bench so that it can't be found out if his arrest is right or wrong. I think the Supreme Court has given a huge jolt to the BJP. I thank the Court... I think Arvind Kejriwal will get bail in CBI, too, and he will be out of jail soon.”
Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is a black law. He told ANI that the law's bail provisions are so difficult that it is almost impossible to get bail.
"First, the lower court granted him bail and observed that ‘ED is acting with bias’. So, today's bail by the Supreme Court is a huge thing. Centre had anticipated that the Supreme Court would grant him bail in the ED matter. So, to ensure that he continues to be in jail even after bail, the CBI arrested him... The burden of proof lies on the CBI. So, I don't think there will be much issue. It's just a matter of time, Arvind Kejriwal will come out of jail,” he added.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha welcomed the court's decision and said, "Both bail and punishment are given by the court. The NDA alliance has no role in this, but these people play the game of deceiving the public.”
BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat said that the interim bail granted to Arvind Kejriwal is not a relief from the crime that one has committed. “Interim Bail allows one to stay out of jail as the case proceeds. But it doesn't mean that Arvind Kejriwal has not done a scam or that he was not involved in corruption. Perhaps the Supreme Court has allowed him to be out and work as the people of Delhi suffer. But the court has not acquitted him,” she added.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said this is a decision between the investigation agency and the judiciary. “Interim Bail doesn't mean that you are acquitted. Let the Court make a clear decision. But the people of Delhi know it very well how Arvind Kejriwal has done corruption in excise policy case, similar is the matter of this electricity scam where attempts are being made to loot the people of Delhi,” he added.
A bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna has referred Arvind Kejriwal's petition contesting his arrest by the ED to a larger bench.
Granting interim bail to Kejriwal in the ED case, the Supreme Court noted that the Delhi CM has already spent 90 days in custody and acknowledged his status as an elected leader.
The court had previously reserved its decision on Kejriwal's plea, with the verdict expected on May 17.
(With inputs from ANI)
