Fri Sep 13 13:26:57 UTC 2024: ## Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Released After Supreme Court Grants Bail in Excise Policy Case

**New Delhi, September 13, 2024:** Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was released from Tihar Jail on Friday evening after the Supreme Court granted him bail in a corruption case related to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. The court ruled that his prolonged imprisonment constituted an “unjust deprivation of liberty,” but upheld the legality of his arrest.

Justice Surya Kant, who authored the majority judgment, stated that the CBI’s arrest of Mr. Kejriwal did not violate any legal procedures. However, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, while concurring on the grant of bail, expressed strong reservations about the CBI’s actions. He deemed the arrest “unjustified” and criticized the agency for appearing to act like a “caged parrot” rather than an “uncaged parrot” with full independence and transparency.

The court, however, imposed several conditions on Mr. Kejriwal’s bail, including a ban on visiting the Chief Minister’s office or the Delhi Secretariat and a prohibition on making public comments about the case.

Mr. Kejriwal, upon his release, asserted that his morale was higher than ever, and he would continue to fight “anti-national forces” working to weaken India.

The AAP leader’s arrest in June by the CBI, followed by his arrest by the ED in March, had sparked widespread political controversy, with opposition parties accusing the BJP-led government of misusing central agencies to target political opponents.

The Supreme Court’s decision has been met with both celebration and criticism. While AAP leaders lauded the judgment as a victory for truth, BJP leaders have demanded Mr. Kejriwal’s resignation, arguing that the bail conditions indicate his continued involvement in the alleged scam.

The verdict is expected to boost the morale of the AAP ahead of upcoming elections in Haryana and Delhi. Mr. Kejriwal is expected to actively campaign in these elections, now free from the constraints of imprisonment.

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