Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a swipe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, suggesting 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.
While responding to a question on whether the INDIA bloc will benefit from the interim bail of Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, Shah, in an interview with ANI, said, “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.”
Reacting to the Supreme Court’s verdict granting Kejriwal interim bail in the case, Shah said, “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 called Kejriwal’s remarks that a vote for the “broom” (Aam Aadmi Party symbol) would ensure that he does not return to jail 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,” Amit Shah said.
“Will the Supreme Court decide the crime based on victory or defeat?” Shah further asked.
The Supreme Court on May 10 granted interim bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged money laundering case linked to Delhi’s excise policy. The Delhi CM spent over 50 days in Tihar Jail. He was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on March 21 of this year.
As per the court order, the bail is applicable till June 1 and Kejriwal has to surrender to the jail authorities on June 2. The Delhi CM can participate in poll campaigning but cannot attend office as Chief Minister.
Four phases of polling in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections have been concluded.
Voting for Delhi’s seven seats is scheduled to be held on May 25. The Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress are fighting the elections in alliance in the national capital, with the AAP contesting four and the Congress three seats.