Amid rain, rousing cheers welcome Kejriwal as he walks out of Tihar

Undeterred by heavy rain, a spirited crowd of AAP leaders, workers, and supporters gathered outside Tihar Jail on Friday evening to welcome Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, as he walked out to a hero’s reception. Amid vibrant dhol beats, jubilant dancing, and a chorus of pro-Kejriwal slogans, the atmosphere was electric.

A sea of colorful umbrellas dotted the crowd, sheltering hundreds of supporters who had been waiting eagerly for the chief minister's release. Posters and banners adorned with slogans hailing Kejriwal were held high, turning the area into a wave of blue and yellow. Party stalwarts, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, stood atop a truck, rallying the crowd with cries of support. Despite being drenched in the rains, AAP leaders and supporters enthusiastically chanted, "Jail ke taale toot gaye, Kejriwal chhoot gaye" and "Bhrastachaar ka ek hi kaal, Kejriwal, Kejriwal," filling the air with celebration.

As Kejriwal emerged from the Tihar gates, the crowd erupted in applause and cheers. Wearing a blue shirt, he waved to the throngs of supporters before addressing them from the rooftop of a car. Similar scenes of celebration were witnessed outside his residence, where more supporters had gathered to greet their leader. Traffic came to a standstill around the jail as the heavy rains compounded the already congested roads, with the crowd’s enthusiasm adding to the chaos. Hundreds of AAP leaders and workers had arrived hours before his release to ensure a grand reception for their chief minister.

Kejriwal was granted bail by the Supreme Court in connection with the excise policy-linked corruption case investigated by the CBI. Braving the relentless downpour, senior AAP leaders, including Kejriwal's wife Sunita, stood outside Tihar Jail, awaiting his release. Alongside Mann and Sisodia, other leaders including Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh were also present to welcome Kejriwal. Security was tightened around Tihar Jail in anticipation of the large crowd. Kejriwal had been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 26 in connection with a corruption case. He had challenged the Delhi High Court’s August 5 order that upheld his arrest. On July 12, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in the case.

In his first remarks after being released from the Tihar Jail, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said he will continue to fight "anti-national" forces working to weaken the nation, and asserted the incarceration has only strengthened his resolve.

He stepped out of the jail Friday evening to a resounding welcome by party leaders and supporters who had gathered outside the prison amid heavy rains to welcome their leader who was released as the Supreme Court granted him bail after five months of incarceration in the Delhi excise policy case.

"Truth triumphs over conspiracy (Sajish pe satya ki jeet hui hai)," Kejriwal posted on X after coming out of the jail.

Kejriwal's bail comes as a big boost to the Aam Aadmi Party, which is seeking to make forays in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir in the coming elections and also gearing up to fight to retain power in Delhi where polls are due early next year.

The AAP demanded that the BJP apologise to the country for keeping the "staunchly honest" leader in prison and asserted the apex court bail in the excise policy case has exposed the saffron party's "lies".

The AAP dubbed CBI and ED as the government's "tota-maina".

Hitting out at the CM, the BJP said he should immediately step down as the SC has granted him only conditional bail and he continues to be an accused in a corruption case.

"Accused of corruption, Arvind Kejriwal has become 'a chief minister on bail from a chief minister in jail'. What influence, reputation and stature are left of this corrupt chief minister who will have to report to the investigation officer of the case every Monday and Thursday," BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia told a press conference.

After being released from jail, the AAP supremo held a roadshow from Chandgiram Akhara to his official residence in Civil Lines along with a large number of party leaders and workers carrying placards hailing him.

As the convoy moved on the nearly four kilometre stretch slowly, it also impacted the traffic flow in the busy evening hours.

After reaching his residence, the CM addressed the party workers and supporters again and said Kejriwal is not important but the country is. He also said the country is going through a "critical phase" as some "anti-national forces" are trying to weaken it.

"I have always fought with these anti-national forces and will keep on doing it. My fault was not that I committed any corruption, my fault was that I raised my voice against those anti-national forces so I had to go to jail," he added.

"Efforts are being made to weaken and judiciary, and threaten the judges. Now, efforts are being made to weaken the Election Commission and capture the ED and CBI," he said.

The CM sought the blessings of his parents who welcomed him with traditional rituals. He hugged party collogue Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Delhi former deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha.

The SC granted bail to Kejriwal in case lodged by the CBI in connection with the excise policy 'scam', saying prolonged incarceration amounts to unjust deprivation of liberty.

Observing that Kejriwal's arrest by the CBI was unjustified, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan came down heavily on the CBI, saying it must dispel the notion of being a "caged parrot".

Hundreds of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and senior leaders including Mann and Sisodia were waiting outside the prison to welcome Kejriwal.

Addressing party workers from the sunroof of a vehicle outside the jail, Kejriwal raised slogans of 'Inquilab Zindabad' and 'Vande Mataram'.

The chief minister, who was arrested on March 21 by the ED in the excise policy-linked money laundering case and then by CBI in June in the corruption case linked to the policy, stressed that the jail time has strengthened his resolve.

"I have struggled a lot in my life and have braved huge difficulties but God has supported me at every step. He has supported me because I was truthful. They put me in jail. They thought that by putting me in jail, they will break my morale. My resolve has grown 100 times stronger and my strength has grown 100 times.

"The thick walls of the jail and the bars cannot break me," he said. "My life is dedicated to the nation. Every moment of my life, every drop of my blood is dedicated to the nation."

Slogans like "Jail ke taale toot gaye, Kejriwal chhoot gaye", "Bhrashtachar ka ek hi kaal, Kejriwal, Kejriwal" rent the air.

The 56-year-old, who has been the fulcrum of the AAP's election campaigns, will have a crucial role to play if the party were to succeed in mounting any significant challenge to the BJP and the Congress in Haryana which votes on October 5.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the AAP will defeat the BJP in Haryana and Delhi. "Kejriwal's presence will strengthen us," he said.

The AAP chief was arrested by the CBI on June 26. He has challenged in the apex court the Delhi High Court's August 5 order which upheld his arrest.

On July 12, the apex court had granted him interim bail in the money laundering case registered by the ED.