Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a jab at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, implying that the public will be reminded of the liquor ‘scam’ whenever they see Kejriwal campaigning for the AAP and the Congress in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Responding to inquiries regarding whether the INDIA bloc would benefit from Kejriwal’s interim bail in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, Shah, in an interview with ANI, remarked, “I think wherever he’ll go for the poll campaign, the people will remember the liquor scam, even in Punjab. People will also see big bottles in front of them when they see Kejriwal.”
Addressing the Supreme Court’s verdict granting Kejriwal interim bail in the case, Shah stated, “I don’t want to comment on the SC’s verdict. But the way the leaders of AAP are claiming the court’s decision as Kejriwal’s victory, I want to explain this. What was their plea before the SC? They said that his arrest was illegal but the apex court dismissed it. Then they modified their plea and asked for bail; the court rejected that too. The Supreme Court said that as per your demand to campaign in elections, we are giving you interim bail and you have to surrender on June 1.”
Shah further criticized Kejriwal’s remarks suggesting that a vote for the “broom” (Aam Aadmi Party symbol) would ensure that he does not return to jail, calling it a “wrong comment on the functioning of the Supreme Court.”
“I believe that this is a wrong comment on the functioning of the Supreme Court. Now, the judges who pronounced the judgement have to see if their judgement is used or misused,” Shah stated.
“Will the Supreme Court decide the crime based on victory or defeat?” Shah questioned.
The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal on May 10 in the alleged money laundering case linked to Delhi’s excise policy. Kejriwal spent over 50 days in Tihar Jail before being released. He was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on March 21 of this year.
As per the court order, the bail is applicable until June 1, and Kejriwal has to surrender to the jail authorities on June 2. Although the Delhi CM can participate in poll campaigning, he cannot attend office as Chief Minister.
Voting for Delhi’s seven seats is scheduled to be held on May 25. The Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress are contesting the elections in alliance in the national capital, with the AAP contesting four and the Congress three seats.
