New Delhi:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that he would leave his house at 3 pm on Sunday to surrender as the interim bail granted to him by the Supreme Court in a Delhi liquor policy case ends.
“The day after tomorrow, I will leave my house around 3 pm to surrender. We are fighting against tyranny, and if I have to sacrifice my life for the country, do not mourn,” Mr Kejriwal said in a press conference today.
The AAP leader said his health had deteriorated significantly during his 50-day imprisonment, resulting in substantial weight loss and ongoing health concerns. He also claimed that he was denied medication for diabetes.
“I was in jail for 50 days, and in those 50 days, I lost 6 kilos… Even after being released, I have not regained my weight,” he shared, adding that doctors are now concerned about his health.
He said that despite these challenges, the welfare of the people of Delhi remains his top priority. He promised that essential services and initiatives such as free electricity, Mohalla clinics, hospitals, free medicines, and women’s free bus travel would continue unabated.
“Even though I won’t be among you, do not worry. All your work will continue,” he said. “I may not be with you physically, but your work will not stop.”
Mr Kejriwal also made an emotional plea for the well-being of his elderly parents and urged the public to keep them in their prayers.
“My parents are very old… If you pray for my mother daily, she will surely remain healthy,” he said.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate in a corruption case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy.
The probe agency believes the Delhi Chief Minister played a key role in drafting the now-scrapped policy and seeking bribes, or kickbacks, in return for liquor licences. The agency has claimed the AAP received kickbacks of Rs 100 crore that were then used to fund its Goa and Punjab election campaigns.
The AAP and Mr Kejriwal have refused all charges and called the arrest and case “political vendetta”, coming as it did, weeks before the election. The arrest also triggered a political spat between the ruling BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc, which is led by the Congress and of which the AAP is a member.