Arvind Kejriwal Walks Out of Tihar Jail, Thanks Supporters Amid Heavy Rain

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was released from Tihar Jail on Friday evening after being granted bail by the Supreme Court in the CBI-led corruption case tied to the excise policy ‘scam’.

Heavy rains accompanied his exit, as Kejriwal was joined by his wife Sunita and senior AAP leaders including Manish Sisodia, Atishi, Sanjay Singh, and Bhagwant Mann.

Kejriwal addressed AAP supporters gathered outside the jail, standing through the sunroof of his vehicle. Supporters raised slogans like “Jail Ke Tale Toot Gaye, Kejriwalji Chhoot Gaye”, while Kejriwal began his address with cries of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, “Vande Mataram”, and “Inquilab Zindabad”.

He expressed gratitude to the people of Delhi for their support, stating, “They thought imprisoning me would break my spirit. Instead, I come out with 100 times more strength and morale.” Kejriwal reaffirmed his commitment to the nation, saying his life and every drop of his blood are dedicated to the country.

The AAP leader also emphasised his belief in divine support, attributing his release to his honesty. “God stood by me as I have always been truthful,” he said.

The Supreme Court bench, led by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, granted Kejriwal bail but restricted him from accessing the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) or signing any official documents. Kejriwal was initially arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March and had been in jail since June after surrendering.

Meanwhile, the BJP demanded Kejriwal’s immediate resignation, citing the conditional nature of the bail. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia called the Delhi CM “outright dishonest”, insisting that Kejriwal step down.

AAP, in response, accused the BJP of imprisoning an “honest leader” and demanded an apology from the ruling party, stating that the bail granted by the court exposed the BJP’s “lies”. Former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia remarked that the court’s decision sent a message to the BJP-led Centre to halt its “dictatorship”.