NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Friday called for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation after his conditional bail, saying that the Supreme Court had affirmed the legality of his arrest and the charges against him and he no longer has the right to remain in office.
The BJP leader said, "Arvind Kejriwal has now joined the club of AAP leaders who are out of prison on bail."
He further commented, "Receiving bail is not a significant achievement. The investigating agency holds proof against Kejriwal, following which the court's remark came that prove his arrest was legal."
"As the trial will continue he is likely to face a long sentence soon," he added.
Sachdeva further remarked that the Delhi CM now joins the ranks of former chief ministers like Jayalalithaa, Lalu Yadav, and Madhu Koda, who were granted bail by court but were eventually convicted and imprisoned.
He argued that, given the conditions of CM Kejriwal’s bail which include restrictions on visiting the Chief Minister’s Office or participating in any official activities including signing of files unless necessary for obtaining approval of the Lieutenant Governor, "Kejriwal no longer has the right to remain in office and should resign immediately."
He emphasised that bail is merely a legal formality and pointed out that if CM Kejriwal has any sense of morality, he would step down, as someone facing such serious charges "should not continue as the Chief Minister of Delhi."
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court granted bail to CM Kejriwal.
The two-judge Bench of the top court gave a concurrent judgment with Justice Surya Kant dismissing CM Kejriwal's distinct plea, challenging the legality of arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the liquor policy case.
The other judge, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, authored a separate opinion raising serious questions on the timing of arrest by the CBI and held the "belated arrest" by the central agency to be unjustified.
Justice Bhuyan said that though he has “serious reservations” on bail conditions prohibiting CM Kejriwal from entering Delhi’s Secretariat or signing official files, but “refrained from expressing further views” having regard for judicial discipline and propriety.