Arvind Kejriwal Granted Bail by Supreme Court

The Supreme Court granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday in the CBI case, providing a significant boost to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections next month. Kejriwal, who was first arrested six months ago in the alleged liquor policy scam, will now walk free after receiving bail.

Both judges delivered separate but concurring judgments, agreeing that the trial is unlikely to conclude soon. Justice Surya Kant stated that prolonged imprisonment amounts to an unjust deprivation of liberty, though he affirmed that Kejriwal’s arrest was lawful. However, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan disagreed, calling the CBI’s arrest “unjustified.”

Kejriwal, who remained on a home-cooked meal regimen while in Tihar Jail, maintained stable health. The CBI argued in court that a substantial portion of the kickbacks from the excise policy scam was used during the 2022 Goa Assembly elections. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi countered, describing Kejriwal’s arrest as an “insurance arrest” aimed at keeping the AAP leader behind bars.

Kejriwal’s release is expected to invigorate AAP as they prepare to challenge the ruling BJP and its INDIA bloc partner Congress in the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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