AAP asks party leaders, workers in Delhi to assemble outside Tihar Jail after SC grants Kejriwal interim bail
May 10, 2024
New Delhi [India], May 10 : After the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till June 1, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has issued a direction to all party leaders and workers in Delhi to reach Tihar Jail by 5 pm on Friday, sources from the party said.
Sources also added that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already left for Delhi from Chandigarh and will be meeting with his Delhi counterpart on Friday. Arvind Kejriwal's wife and other AAP leaders are expected to be at Tihar Jail when he is released on interim bail.
Earlier, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Dutta granted the Delhi Chief Minister interim bail in the money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) thanked the Supreme Court for "upholding democracy". Addressing a joint press conference in Delhi along with AAP leaders Saurabh Bhardwaj, Gopal Rai and Atishi on Friday, party national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said, "We are extremely grateful to the Supreme Court for upholding the democracy in the country today. The interim bail has been granted in very extraordinary circumstances."
"This is the last chance to save the democracy and we call upon the citizens, media and all of you to ensure we also uphold the democracy this time," Kakkar added.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
Earlier on Tuesday, the bench hinted at granting interim bail to Kejriwal to enable him to campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, it had also said that if interim bail were granted, Kejriwal would not be allowed to discharge any official duties as Chief Minister.
Arvind Kejriwal is now likely to join the AAP campaign in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Delhi goes to the polls on May 25.
