AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday surrendered at the Tihar jail after his interim bail granted by the Supreme Court in the excise policy-linked money laundering case ended on June 1.
The AAP chief was granted interim bail on the grounds for campaigning in the Lok Sabha 2024 elections. Before surrendering, Kejriwal paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the Raj Ghat, offered prayers at the Hanuman temple in Connaught Place and addressed AAP leaders and workers at the party office.Before surrendering at the Tihar, AAP supremo addressed party workers and leaders. During his address, Kejriwal said, "I am going back to jail not because I was involved in corruption but because I raised voice against dictatorship," he said.
"I was given a 21-day (relief) by the Supreme Court.
These 21 days were unforgettable. I did not waste even a minute. I campaigned for saving the country. The AAP is not important, it is secondary. The country comes first," he said.
Kejriwal also asserted that all exit polls predicting a third term for the BJP-led NDA at the Centre were "fake".
Exit polls on Saturday predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will retain power for a third straight term, with the NDA expected to win a big majority in the polls."They are not forming Government on June 4. These exit polls are mind games to drive you into depression," Kejriwal told AAP workers and leaders.
Earlier, he shared an emotional message for his supporters and asked them to take care of themselves as he surrenders at Tihar Jail after his 21-day interim bail expired on June 1.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the AAP convener said, "I came out for election campaign for 21 days on the orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court. I am very grateful to the Hon'ble Supreme Court. Today I will surrender by going to Tihar. I will leave home at 3 pm. First I will go to Rajghat and pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. From there I will go to Hanuman temple in Connaught Place to seek blessings of Hanuman ji. And from there I will go to the party office and meet all the workers and party leaders. From there I will again leave for Tihar."
In a tweet in Hindi, he further stated, "All of you take care of yourselves. I will take care of you all in jail. If you are happy then your Kejriwal will also be happy in jail." In his address in AAP headquarter, Kejriwal said, "I am going back to jail not because I was involved in corruption but because I raised voice against dictatorship. I was given a 21-day (relief) by the Supreme Court. These 21 days were unforgettable. I did not waste even a minute. I campaigned for saving the country. The AAP is not important, it is secondary. The country comes first."
While exit polls on Saturday predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will retain power for a third straight term, with the NDA expected to win a big majority in the polls, Kejriwal asserted that all exit polls predicting a third term for the BJP-led NDA at the Centre were "fake". "They are not forming a Government on June 4. These exit polls are mind games to drive you into depression," Kejriwal told AAP workers and leaders.
Before Kejriwal arrived at the Tihar jail, traffic movement was restricted in the areas around the prison and security arrangements heightened with deployment of police personnel.
The chief minister paid homage at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at the Raj Ghat, offered prayers at the Hanuman temple in Connaught Place and addressed workers and leaders of the AAP before surrendering.
Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal was seen accompanying him. AAP leaders, including Atishi, Kailash Gahlot and Saurabh Bharadwaj, Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and Sandeep Pathak, and party leaders Durgesh Pathak, Rakhi Birla and Reena Gupta were also present.
Earlier, a Delhi court on Saturday reserved its order on the interim bail plea of Kejriwal who is seeking seven days' bail on medical grounds in connection with the money alleged case related to alleged excise policy scam.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of Rouse Avenue Court reserved the verdict, set to be announced on June 5. Kejriwal's counsel cited medical reasons for the bail request.
