'Need to fight dictatorship:' Arvind Kejriwal's first message as he walks out of jail after 50 days
New Delhi/IBNS: Hours after the Supreme Court granted him bail, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal walked out of Tihar Jail Friday evening, 50 days after he was arrested on corruption charges linked to the alleged liquor policy scam.
The Aam Aadmi Party supremo has been granted bail till June 1, the date for the final round of voting in the ongoing Lok Sabha election.
As he walked out of Tihar Jail's Gate No 4, Kejriwal was welcomed by a mob of flag-waving and slogan-shouting AAP workers, as well as his wife Sunita Kejriwal, and senior leaders like Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj.
In his first public comments after leaving jail, Kejriwal thanked "all the judges of the top court".
तानाशाही का अंत करने बब्बर शेर आ गया🔥#ModiCantStopKejriwal #SatyamevJayte pic.twitter.com/563xgbYWFE
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 10, 2024
Eyeing the upcoming election in Delhi on May 25, he called on voters to "'save the country from dictatorship".
"I want to thank all of you... you showered me with your blessings. I want to thank the judges of the Supreme Court, it is due to them that I am in front of you. We have to save the country from dictatorship...," he said
Kejriwal also attributed his release to Lord Hanuman and said he planned to visit the Hanuman temple in Delhi's Connaught Place on Saturday morning.
The Delhi CM is set to surrender by June 2. The court turned down pleas to extend his bail but said it would hear arguments for extended relief next week.
His leader's release means he can now campaign for the AAP, and the INDIA bloc, in the ongoing election.
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in the Delhi liquor policy case from his official residence in Delhi.
The central investigative agency asserts that he played a central role in the scam and was directly implicated in soliciting kickbacks from liquor barons.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court said that Kejriwal would not be permitted to carry out his official responsibilities due to "may have a cascading effect" even if he is granted interim bail while in jail.