Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced that he will surrender on June 2 and return to Tihar jail, following the expiration of his interim bail. The Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail last month to allow him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Kejriwal, who is the supremo of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to the excise policy case.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Kejriwal said, “"I will surrender the day after tomorrow. I will leave my house at around 3 pm. It is possible that they torture me even more this time, but I will not break. Please take care of yourselves. I am always concerned about you while in jail. Your Kejriwal will be happy only if you are happy. But don't worry, all of your work will keep happening."
Kejriwal's plea for a 7-day extension of his interim bail on health grounds was refused by the Supreme Court earlier this week. The AAP leader has been undergoing medical treatment and has requested an extension to complete his tests and treatment.
In a statement, Kejriwal said, "I have been a patient of serious diabetes for the last 20 years. I have been given four injections every day for the last 10 years, but when I was in jail, they stopped my medication. My sugar levels reached around 300. Kidney and liver get affected if your sugar level remains so high for such a long time. I don't know what they wanted. I lost 6 kgs while in jail.”
“The doctor is suggesting that this can be a sign of some serious disease, and many tests need to be done. The ketone level in my urine has also increased."
The AAP and Kejriwal have dismissed all charges, describing the arrest and case as "political vendetta" that occurred just weeks before the election. This arrest has also sparked a political clash between the ruling BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc, which is led by the Congress and includes the AAP as a member.
