"Stop hatching conspiracy...Truth can be troubled but not defeated": Aam Aadmi Party after SC grants interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party on Friday hailed the Supreme Court decision to grant interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on his plea challenging arrest by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the alleged liquor scam case and slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party for "hatching a conspiracy" against the AAP.
The apex court today granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the case in connection with the now scrapped excise policy, registered by the ED.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi Minister Atishi asked the BJP to stop hatching a conspiracy against other parties and said that truth can be troubled but not defeated.
"BJP knew that he (Arvind Kejriwal) has been granted bail by the Rouse Avenue Court, they know that he will get bail by the Supreme Court too. That is why, they hatched another conspiracy and the day on which the bail hearing was scheduled to come up before the Supreme Court, they made CBI arrest Arvind Kejriwal a day before that. Why was he arrested by the CBI? Because if he received bail in ED case, he would come out of jail and work for the people of Delhi 10 times faster," Atishi said.
Atishi asked the BJP why Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI and asked it to "end its arrogance".
"I would like to tell the BJP today, one after the other - every court in this country has exposed your conspiracy... every court is granting bail to Arvind Kejriwal. I would like to tell BJP, end your arrogance and stop hatching conspiracy against other parties. Truth can be troubled but not defeated," she added.
AAP leader Sandeep Pathak addressing a press conference termed the Supreme Court judgement as "historic."
"Today's judgement by the Supreme Court is a historic verdict. Today's judgement makes it clear that the alleged excise policy case is created by the BJP and the Supreme Court has completely dismantled this false case," Pathak said.
Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the lower court granted Kejriwal bail and observed that "ED is acting with bias".
"PMLA is a black law. The provisions for bail under this are so difficult that it is almost impossible to get bail... First, the lower court granted him bail and observed that "ED is acting with bias"... So, today's bail by the Supreme Court is a huge thing. Centre had anticipated that Supreme Court would grant him bail in the ED matter. So, to ensure that he continues to be in jail even after bail, the CBI arrested him... The burden of proof lies on the CBI. So, I don't think there will be much issue. It's just a matter of time, Arvind Kejriwal will come out of jail," Bharadwaj said.
A bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna referred to his petition challenging his arrest by the ED to a larger bench.
Supreme Court while granting interim bail to Kejriwal in the ED case observed that the Delhi Chief Minister has suffered incarceration of 90 days and it's conscious that he is an elected leader.
Kejriwal's lawyer Rishikesh Kumar described the verdict as "a big victory."
"The Supreme Court has granted him interim bail and the issue of Section 19 and necessity of arrest has been referred to a larger bench. CM Kejriwal will remain in custody as his bail in the CBI case is still pending. This is a big victory," Kumar told ANI.
Supreme Court lawyer Shadan Farasat representing Kejriwal said, "The court observed that in so far as his arrest is concerned, there are certain aspects on the necessity of arrest... They said Mr Kejriwal has undergone a large period of incarceration already and therefore, directed his release and bail immediately in the ED matter."
The top court had reserved the verdict on Kejriwal's plea on May 17.
On May 10, the apex court granted Kejriwal interim bail till June 1 in the money laundering case registered by the ED in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy, however, ordered that he shall not visit the Office of the Chief Minister and the Delhi Secretariat.
The court directed him to surrender on June 2, following which he had surrendered on June 2.
While filing an appeal in the apex court, Kejriwal had contended that his arrest after the announcement of the General Elections was "motivated by extraneous considerations".
On April 9, the High Court dismissed his plea for release from jail and rejected his argument of political vendetta amid the looming Lok Sabha elections.
He was arrested by ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22.