Arvind Kejriwal will prefer jail to furnishing bond: Aam Aadmi Party

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, who is in jail for refusing to furnish a bail bond in a criminal defamation case, will not seek bail even on Friday and, instead, AAP has decided to approach the higher court against the order of the city court.

Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, also sprang to her husband’s defence stating that, “why should he seek bail when he has not done any crime.”

“We will approach a higher court against the order issued by the district court which sent Kejriwal to judicial custody,” AAP’s Sanjay Singh told the media after meeting Kejriwal in Tihar Jail on Thursday.

AAP leaders and Kejriwal’s wife Sunita met Arvind Kejriwal in prison. They also made it clear that Kejriwal will not seek bail at his next hearing on Friday and would instead go to people for support on his fight against corruption.

“He is not a criminal. He is saying he will give personal undertaking that he will appear before court whenever he is asked to. But the media calls it is drama … this presentation (by) media is not right. Why should he seek bail when he is not a criminal,” said Sunita Kejriwal.

During his meeting with AAP leaders inside the jail, Kejriwal asked volunteers and sympathisers to maintain peace and calm.

Kejriwal was sent to jail on Wednesday for refusing to furnish bail bond of Rs 10,000 in a case of criminal defamation filed against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari whom he had called corrupt.

It seems the party is trying to use the opportunity to re-connect with people in Delhi on the issue of corruption as its leaders said AAP will start a door-to-door campaign to tell people how an honest person like Kejriwal is behind bars.

AAP leaders said they would “remind people about Gadkari’s involvement in mega land scams”.

AAP said, “The party’s legal team will present Kejriwal’s stand in the court of metropolitan magistrate at the Patiala House court in the national capital on Friday that there is no provision in criminal law which makes it mandatory for a defendant in a case of criminal defamation to furnish a surety bond when he is willing and ready to be present at every date of hearing”.

On allegations of Kejriwal enacting a drama, AAP said, “It is shocking that the BJP and the Congress are belittling the fight against corruption and resorting to diversionary tactics. The use of such a terminology is a deliberate attempt to stop the voice against corruption in public life”.