The Supreme Court granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the CBI’s excise policy corruption case on Friday. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan ruled that prolonged detention would result in an unjust denial of liberty. Kejriwal is required to post a bail bond of ₹1 million along with two sureties of equal value.
The court imposed conditions preventing Kejriwal from making public statements on the case and applied the same terms as those in his Enforcement Directorate (ED) case. Notably, Kejriwal is barred from visiting his office or signing any official files, except when necessary with the Lieutenant Governor’s approval.
Justice Bhuyan raised concerns over the timing of Kejriwal’s arrest by the CBI, questioning why the arrest occurred only after Kejriwal had received bail in the ED case. “The CBI must dispel the notion of being a caged parrot,” Bhuyan remarked, referring to perceptions that the agency was acting under external influence. He added that detaining Kejriwal after being granted bail in the ED case would be a miscarriage of justice.
Celebrations erupted outside the AAP headquarters in Delhi following the court’s decision. AAP leaders and supporters distributed sweets, seeing the decision as a boost for the party’s upcoming elections in Delhi and Haryana.
Meanwhile, the BJP has called for Kejriwal’s resignation, stating that the bail conditions make it impossible for him to fulfill his duties as chief minister.
