Bail to Kejriwal exposes BJP's 'lies', says AAP; claims CBI, ED saffron party's 'tota-maina'

New Delhi: The AAP on Friday demanded that the BJP apologise to the country for keeping "staunchly honest" leader Arvind Kejriwal in jail and asserted that the Supreme Court bail in the excise policy case has exposed the saffron party's "lies" while dubbing central probe agencies CBI and ED as its "tota-maina".

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 retain power in Delhi where polls are due early next year.

Celebrations erupted at the AAP headquarters with party leaders and workers distributing sweets and bursting firecrackers.

Sunita Kejriwal, wife of the Delhi chief minister, congratulated the party leaders and workers on her husband getting bail in the excise policy-linked money laundering case filed by the CBI. He has already got bail in another case registered by the Enforcement Directorate in July.

Talking to reporters, senior party leader Manish Sisodia claimed the Supreme Court's observation makes it clear that the BJP was using the CBI and the ED as its "tota-maina" to keep the AAP supremo behind bars as part of its conspiracy.

"The BJP should be ashamed for using 'tota-maina' ED and CBI for arresting opposing leaders," he said.

"The BJP intended to keep Kejriwal in jail, so the CBI arrested him after he got bail in the ED case. The CBI fulfilled the intentions of the BJP," Sisodia alleged, adding that the bail order is a "big slap on the BJP's face".

Earlier in the day, the apex court granted bail to Kejriwal in the corruption 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 probe agency and said it must dispel the notion of being a caged parrot.

Writing a separate concurring judgement granting bail to the AAP supremo, Justice Bhuyan questioned the timing of Kejriwal's arrest by the CBI and said its aim was to frustrate grant of bail to him in the ED case.

Attacking the BJP, AAP's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh said, "It has been proved by the Supreme Court's order that you can not do away with Babasaheb's Constitution, finish democracy, popularity of Arvind Kejriwal and elected government of Delhi by using 'Tota-Maina' ED and CBI." Following the court's order, a joyous Sunita Kejriwal was seen distributing sweets along with other senior AAP leaders and workers outside the chief minister's residence.

Slogans like "Aa gaye bhai aa gaye, Kejriwal aa gaye", and "jail ke taale toot gaye, Kejriwal chooth gaye" were raised by the party supporters.

Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Delhi minister Atishi and Sunita Kejriwal were present at the spot. AAP leaders and workers fed ladoos to Sunita expressing their joy at the occasion.

Hitting out at the BJP, Sisodia said the saffron party should introspect as it has been "completely exposed" and "apologise to the country for keeping a staunchly honest leader like Kejriwal in jail".

Slamming Kejriwal, the BJP demanded his resignation, saying he cannot discharge the duties of the post as per the bail conditions.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said in a statement that Kejriwal has got bail from the court but he has no right to remain on the post of the chief minister.

"He should step down as the chief minister if he can not work on the post," Sachdeva said, adding that the SC has also clarified that his arrest by the CBI in the excise policy case was legal.

Reacting to BJP's demand, Sisodia said that the saffron party is talking about bail conditions because it is scared." Sanjay Singh claimed that they have been saying this entire matter (excise policy case) is founded on lies and the BJP led Centre is responsible for creating this mountain of lies.

"The authoritarian Centre with ED and CBI created this mountain of lies to defame Kejriwal and AAP and to finish them off. The release of our leader Kejriwal now, and Manish Sisodia earlier has proved that the BJP's mountain of lies has collapsed," Singh said.

The assembly polls in Haryana are scheduled to be held on October 5 while elections in Delhi are due early next year.

"The Aam Aadmi Party will defeat the BJP in the Haryana and Delhi polls. Kejriwal's presence will strengthen us," Singh added.

The AAP chief was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 26. He has challenged in the apex court the Delhi High Court's August 5 order which upheld his arrest in the corruption case.

On July 12, the apex court had granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case.