Arvind Kejriwal to return to jail today as court defers bail plea until June 5

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will return to jail on June 2, following a Supreme Court directive. His plea for interim bail on medical grounds was deferred by a Delhi court until June 5.

Kejriwal, leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, was temporarily released for three weeks to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, which concluded on June 1. He is scheduled to surrender around 3 pm after visiting key locations, including Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Raj Ghat, the AAP office on DDU Marg, and a Hanuman temple.

Ahead of his return to jail, Kejriwal chaired a meeting of the AAP's Political Affairs Committee and attended an INDIA bloc meeting at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence. Key AAP leaders, including Atishi, Raghav Chadha, Sanjay Singh, and Durgesh Pathak, participated in the discussions. Kejriwal emphasised party unity during his absence and reiterated that he will remain Chief Minister, with his wife Sunita Kejriwal conveying his messages.

Kejriwal's temporary bail began on May 10, granted by the Supreme Court for election campaigning. His recent plea for a seven-day extension, citing health issues, was not urgently listed by the SC. Consequently, he sought interim bail on medical grounds from a special CBI-ED court, which will decide on June 5.

The Enforcement Directorate opposed the interim bail, questioning the timing of Kejriwal’s health concerns. The case involves alleged corruption and money laundering linked to Delhi's now-scrapped 2021-22 excise policy.

Kejriwal urged supporters not to worry if he faces hardships in jail, expressing pride in his imprisonment for fighting against "dictatorship." He asked Delhi residents to pray for his elderly parents.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva criticised Kejriwal, accusing him of faking illness to avoid jail time after campaigning vigorously.