Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari has called for the resignation of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal from the post of Delhi Chief Minister after the Supreme Court upheld the legality of his arrest in connection with the liquor policy scam case. The Apex Court, on September 13, directed Kejriwal to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh along with two sureties, citing sufficient grounds for his arrest.
Tiwari, addressing the media, stated that Kejriwal, who has been in jail for nearly six months, should step down from his position on ethical grounds in light of the court’s observations. “The court has now affirmed his arrest as legal. Under such serious circumstances, it is imperative for him to resign,” Tiwari said.
Reflecting on the challenges faced by the residents of Delhi, Tiwari criticised Kejriwal’s continued hold on power. “If he had any empathy for the suffering and hardships of Delhi’s people, he would have resigned long ago,” he added further.
Tiwari further emphasised that the Supreme Court’s decision follows the Delhi High Court’s ruling on August 5, which also validated Kejriwal’s arrest as lawful. The High Court, while hearing the Chief Minister’s petition against his detention, declared the arrest “legal,” noting that it was conducted only after substantial evidence had been gathered.
In a video message circulated on social media, Tiwari elaborated on the stringent conditions set by the Supreme Court for Kejriwal’s release. He argued that these conditions severely restrict the Chief Minister’s ability to govern effectively, thus necessitating his resignation. “The Supreme Court has prohibited him from visiting the Delhi Secretariat or signing any official files, rendering him effectively non-functional,” Tiwari explained.
एक आरोपी को बेल मिल रहा है.. वो CM हैं पर कोर्ट कहती है फाइल साइन नहीं कर सकते.. CM कार्यालय नहीं जा सकते.. फिर कुर्सी से चिपके ही क्यों हैं #SupremeCourtOfIndia #KejriwalFailsDelhi #Kejriwal pic.twitter.com/PPKBX8L5KO
— Manoj Tiwari (@ManojTiwariMP) September 13, 2024
He also highlighted the myriad issues plaguing the national capital, such as waterlogging, clogged drains, and deteriorating infrastructure, stating that these problems remain unaddressed due to Kejriwal’s preoccupation with retaining his position. “The people of Delhi have been left to fend for themselves despite having an elected government. Kejriwal should show concern for their suffering and resign,” Tiwari demanded.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court granted bail to Kejriwal, imposing several restrictions on his activities. The court barred him from visiting the Delhi Secretariat or signing any official documents unless absolutely necessary and prohibited him from making any public comments on the merits of the liquor policy case, which led to his incarceration.
While granting the bail court said, “CBI is a premier investigating agency of the country. It is in public interest that CBI must not only be above board, but must also be seen to be so. Every effort must be made to remove any perception that investigation was carried out fairly and that the arrest was made in a high-handed and biased manner. In a functional democracy governed by the rule of law, perception matters. Like Caesar’s wife, an investigating agency must be above board. Not long ago, this court has castigated the CBI comparing it to a caged parrot. It is imperative that CBI dispels the notion of it being a caged parrot. Rather, the perception should be that of an uncaged parrot.”
Meanwhile, Congress, while reacting on Kejriwal’s bail, said, ‘Just bail, no clean chit given.’
“Right now, it’s just bail; no clean chit has been given. The Congress party views this as just a reaction and part of the judicial process. We do not see it as anything more than that. There has been no talk of acquittal from the charges yet. The final verdict is still pending,” Congress spokesperson Alok Sharma told PTI.
Kejriwal’s present petition challenged the Delhi High Court order of August 5. He had also filed another Special Leave Petition challenging the High Court’s refusal to consider his bail plea.
The AAP chief was formally arrested by CBI on June 26, 2024, while he was in custody of the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case arising out of the alleged liquor policy scam.
Weeks later, on July 12, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in the money laundering case, while referring his petition challenging ED arrest to a larger bench. However, he continued to remain in custody (which commenced on March 21) due to his arrest by the CBI.
