'No Interaction With Any of Witnesses': 5 Bail Conditions Set For Kejriwal

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till June 1 to campaign in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The apex court, while granting Kejriwal the relief said there was no doubt about the fact that serious accusations have been made against him but he has not been convicted yet. "He does not have any criminal antecedents. He is not a threat to the society," the bench said. However, the apex court has imposed a slew of restrictions on him as part of the bail conditions. 

Conditions On Which Kejriwal Has Been Granted Interim Bail Till June 2

• Kejriwal cannot visit his office or the Delhi Secretariat during the tenure of his interim bail
• The Court has asked Kejriwal to not sign any official file unless absolutely necessary to obtain the Lieutenant Governor's sanction during the 21-day interim bail period.
• Imposing a raft of bail conditions on the embattled AAP leader, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said, "He shall not visit the Office of the Chief Minister and the Delhi Secretariat." "He shall be bound by the statement made on his behalf that he shall not sign official files unless it is required and necessary for obtaining clearance/ approval of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi," the top court said.
• The court has also barred Kejrial from making any comment with regard to his role in the present case.
• He can not interact with any of the witnesses 
• He can not access any official files connected with the case.

Opposition Leaders Welcome Kejriwal's Interim Bail

Opposition leaders welcomed the interim bail given to Kejriwal by the Supreme Court, saying the "fight to save democracy" will now be with more intensity.

Congress leader Pawan Khera hoped former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren also gets due justice."We welcome the intervention by the Supreme Court in granting bail to Arvind Kejriwal...We also hope that the prime minister gets enough time after June 4, when he becomes the former prime minister of India, to introspect sitting in Sabarmati Ashram the kind of politics he has indulged in," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee also welcomed the Supreme Court order, saying "I am very happy to see that Shri Arvind Kejriwal has got interim bail. It will be very helpful in the context of the current elections." Sharad Pawar, who heads the NCP (SP), said the country remains steadfast in the pursuit of democracy.

"I welcome the interim bail order granted to the chief minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal by the SC. India remains steadfast in the pursuit of democracy," Pawar wrote on X.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi called it a "big win" for Kejriwal. "And big win for Arvind Kejriwal ji as SC steps in to grant him interim bail. The bid to silence the opposition by BJP is backfiring on them. We Won't be silenced, won't bend, won't give in come what may. Bharat is watching, India is winning! Jai Hind!" she wrote on X.

Another Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said justice and relief to Kejriwal against the "dictatorial regime" in the country was a huge sign of winds of change. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said they will now fight the battle to save democracy with more intensity.

In a post on X, he said, "Thanks to the Supreme Court... now we will fight the battle to save democracy with more intensity... Arvind Kejriwal is not a person but a thought...and now will take this thought forward with greater momentum."