How Team Kejriwal Reacted To Hemant Soren’s Bail, While ‘Lokpriya’ CM Is Still Behind Bars

New Delhi: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister, and tribal stalwart Hemant Soren was granted bail on Friday after a “worrisome period” of five months. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January this year for his alleged involvement in a money laundering case. His bail approval on Friday was perceived as a victory by his followers, as well as by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), whose supremo Arvind Kejriwal is still lodged in Tihar jail in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

While congratulating Soren on being released on bail, AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Singh, on Friday said, “It was a black spot on the democracy to arrest a Chief Minister, who comes from the tribal community. The mentality of this PM Modi-led NDA government is anti-Constitution, anti-reservation, anti-Dalit, and anti-Tribal.” He added, “The decision of the Jharkhand High Court today is worthy of congratulations.”

Singh, whose Rajya Sabha suspension was revoked on Thursday, drew a parallel between Soren’s arrest and that of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He said, “They have put the lokpriya (beloved) Chief Minister of Delhi into jail, who has been elected three times by the people of the national capital.” Later in the day, Singh wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “I spoke to Hemant Soren ji and his wife on the phone, congratulated them on their release, saluted their courage. The fight to save democracy and the Constitution will continue together.”

Soren Arrested in January

The Jharkhand High Court on Friday approved the bail application of Hemant Soren in the alleged 8.86-acre land-grabbing case in Ranchi. The then Jharkhand CM was arrested on January 31. He submitted his resignation to Jharkhand Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan after he was grilled by the ED for seven hours at his official residence in Ranchi. Soren was arrested the same day by the central agency.

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Soren’s lawyer Arunabh Chowdhury said that the court has held that “prima facie he is not guilty of the offence and there is no likelihood of the petitioner committing an offence when on bail.”

Disappointment in AAP’s Camp

Team AAP, however, did not have a reason to cheer. The Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday sent Arvind Kejriwal to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody for three days, two less than what CBI had asked for. The Delhi CM was arrested on March 21 in the now-scrapped Delhi Liquor Excise Policy case.

The Rouse Avenue court had earlier granted him bail, but the Delhi High Court paused it and reserved its order over ED’s petition. Kejriwal moved the Supreme Court, but got no relief. The high court thereafter denied him bail.

Arvind Kejriwal has been sent to CBI’s custody for three days — two less than what the agency had asked for. He was arrested by the CBI inside the Rouse Avenue court. Earlier, the Rouse Avenue court had granted him bail on June 20, but the Delhi High Court paused it and reserved its order on June 21 morning. Kejriwal moved the Supreme Court, but got no relief. The high court thereafter denied him bail later on June 21.

Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita, alleged in a post on ‘X’ that “the whole system is trying to ensure that the man does not come out of jail. This is not law. This is dictatorship, this is emergency.” Sanjay Singh levelled similar allegations. “The BJP-led central government is orchestrating a significant conspiracy against Kejriwal. This is a blatant attempt to manipulate the legal system and unjustly detain an innocent man on false allegations.”

Earlier in May, the Delhi CM was granted an interim bail by the Supreme Court in view of the Lok Sabha elections. Kejriwal was out on bail from May 10 to June 1.