Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Granted Bail by Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of India has granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi and a key opposition leader in the ongoing corruption case connected to the now-defunct Delhi excise policy. This decision paves the way for his release from custody, nearly six months after his initial arrest in March. Arvind Kejriwal was first detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over charges of money laundering, followed by an arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on corruption charges, which his colleagues have described as a ‘political conspiracy’.

On Friday, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled that, although the arrest was lawful, the prolonged imprisonment amounted to an ‘unjust deprivation of liberty’. Justice Surya Kant stated this while granting bail, whereas Justice Ujjal Bhuyan criticized the timing and nature of the arrest as raising serious questions. Following this ruling, Mr. Kejriwal is barred from visiting his Chief Minister’s office or the Delhi Secretariat as part of the bail conditions and is instructed not to discuss the merits of the case publicly.

Kejriwal’s anticipated release is a morale booster for his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), especially with upcoming regional elections in Haryana, a northern state where the AAP is looking to gain ground. Allegations had accused Kejriwal’s administration of accepting significant kickbacks from liquor contractors after liberalizing liquor sales in 2021. The AAP and Kejriwal have vehemently denied these allegations, labeling them as politically motivated.

Inside the courtroom, senior advocate A.M. Singhvi argued on behalf of Mr. Kejriwal, emphasizing that given his position as a constitutional functionary, he poses no flight risk and is unlikely to tamper with the evidential documents already collected by the agency. Outside the Supreme Court, AAP party members and allies were seen celebrating the court’s decision, as highlighted by social media posts. Manish Sisodia, another AAP leader, expressed satisfaction, saying the ‘truth has prevailed’.

Despite the ruling, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) maintained that Kejriwal’s bail does not equate to exoneration. International voices, including from the United States, have called for a fair and impartial trial. Meanwhile, the CBI has been urged by the judiciary to ensure that it operates transparently to maintain public trust in a democracy.