Atishi has joined 'Jail and Bail' group of AAP leaders: BJP's Praveen Shankar Kapoor on defamation case

New Delhi [India], July 23 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor, who had filed a defamation case against Delhi Minister Atishi over her "poaching" remarks, took a dig at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, saying that she has joined the "Jail and Bail" group of AAP leaders.
"From today onwards, Atishi has joined the 'Jail and Bail' group of AAP leaders. Now, this will continue. It would have been better if she had apologised and settled this issue. However, she wants to take some time," Kapoor said while speaking to ANI.
The BJP leader was referring to multiple AAP leaders who are in jail, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and former Minister Satyendra Jain. AAP's Sanjay Singh is out on bail.
The Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday granted bail to Delhi Minister Atishi in the defamation case filed by BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor. She appeared physically and furnished the bail bond.
Kapoor said that Atishi is following the "judicial procedure" and that the next hearing is on August 8.
"She has not yet appealed to any higher court challenging this case. It seems like she is following the judicial procedure... The next hearing is on August 8," he said.
Meanwhile, the petitioner Praveen Kapoor's lawyer, Shoumendu Mukherji, said that although there was an attempt by the council to "linger on the matter," Atishi has accepted the court's procedure and has not challenged the order.
"The accused appeared before the court today and furnished her bail bonds. There was an attempt by their council to even linger on the matter. They wanted a very long date to scrutinise the documents... It is a bailable offence. So, there is no condition imposed. She has accepted the court's procedure. She is duly complying with it without challenging the order at a higher court," Kapoor said.
AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi had alleged that she was approached by the Bharatiya Janata Party to join them or else she would be arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the coming days.
While addressing a press conference, the AAP leader said, "The BJP, through one of my close aides, approached me to join their party to save my political career, and if I do not join the BJP, then in the coming month, I will be arrested by the ED."
The AAP leader accused the BJP-led Centre of trying to threaten the party by using probe agencies.
"I want to tell the BJP that we will not be scared of you. We are the soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal. We are aides of Bhagat Singh. We will continue to save the Constitution and will work to give the people a better life under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal," she said.
Atishi further alleged that in the coming two months before the general elections, a few more leaders, including Raghav Chadha and Saurabh Bharadwaj, will be arrested by the central probe agency.