NEW DELHI: Emotions ran high as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal returned to his residence on Civil Lines Road after being released from Tihar jail on Friday night.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, visibly elated with the return of their chief, joined his family in a heartfelt welcome.
His parents and wife, Sunita Kejriwal, greeted him with Aarti and garlands, marking a joyous reunion. The atmosphere was charged with celebration as Arvind Kejriwal’s supporters and senior leaders of the party, including Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Bhagwant Mann, embraced him warmly.
Kejriwal held a roadshow from Chandgiram Akhara to his official residence after being released from the Tihar jail and said, “The prison walls have increased my courage 100 times. My life is dedicated to the country. Every drop of my blood is dedicated to my country. God has always supported me. Why did God support me? Because I was truthful, I was right; I served the people; I fought for the country; that is why God is with me.”
“I express my gratitude to the countrymen who prayed for my release. Some people in the country, anti-national forces, want to weaken the country, want to divide the country. Today judges are being threatened. Attempts are being made to weaken the Election Commission. We have to fight against this. My fault is not that I have committed corruption, my fault is that I have spoken against such anti-national forces. I will continue to fight against such forces,” he added.
He was released from Tihar Jail on Friday evening, hours after the Supreme Court granted him bail in a corruption case related to the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam. Kejriwal’s lawyers furnished surety bonds for his release before the special CBI judge, citing the Supreme Court ruling. Upon his release, Kejriwal was welcomed by a large crowd of AAP leaders and supporters outside the Tihar jail.
His supporters celebrated outside his residence with firecrackers. The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Kejriwal, saying prolonged incarceration amounts to unjust deprivation of liberty. The apex court also put certain conditions on Kejriwal’s release, including that he shall not make any public comments about the case and shall be present for all hearings before the trial court unless exempted. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with the case.
On May 10, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail till June 1 in the money laundering case registered by the ED in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy. However, the court ordered that he should not visit the Office of the Chief Minister or the Delhi Secretariat.
In compliance with this directive, he surrendered on June 2.On June 26, he was arrested by the CBI while in ED custody in the excise case. On July 12, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in the ED case, but Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court extended his CBI custody. (ANI)