DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday hailed the Supreme Court's decision to grant bail to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy case, saying "the truth has won".

The top court on Friday granted bail to Kejriwal in a corruption case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, saying prolonged incarceration amounted to unjust deprivation of liberty.

"Finally, the truth has won... AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal has been granted bail by the honourable Supreme Court... The bail granted to Kejriwal has proved that the truth can never be suppressed," Mann said in a post on X.

Kejriwal had earlier been granted interim bail in a money-laundering matter linked to the excise policy case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

AAP also hailed the Supreme Court's decision as celebrations broke out at the party's office in Chandigarh.

Punjab minister Bram Shanker Jimpa was seen breaking into a dance with party workers. Ministers Anmol Gagan Maan and Balbir Singh also joined the celebrations.

AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang, senior spokesperson Neel Garg and other leaders congratulated the party workers, who distributed sweets.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan welcomed the apex court verdict and said the decision was a vindication for truth and justice.

"The Supreme Court's decision to grant bail to Arvind Kejriwal has vindicated our stand that the case against him was politically motivated and built on falsehoods," Sandhwan said in a statement.

"Truth has prevailed and justice has been served. This decision is a testament to the resilience of democratic institutions in our country," he added.

Sandhwan also lashed out at the Centre, accusing it of misusing federal probe agencies to target political opponents.

"This decision exposed the BJP-led government's attempts to suppress political opposition through false cases and harassment," he said.

He expressed confidence that the verdict would boost the morale of AAP workers and leaders fighting against corruption and authoritarianism. "We will continue to stand for truth, justice and democracy".

Minister Aman Arora said the Supreme Court's decision demonstrated that the truth could not be suppressed.

He described the ruling as a "significant rebuke" to agencies such as the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that, he alleged, acted at the behest of the BJP. Chetan Singh Jouramajra, another Punjab minister, said AAP had consistently maintained that the case against Kejriwal was "fabricated".

"We have said from the outset that this entire case is built on falsehoods, orchestrated by the Modi government at the Centre," he alleged.
(editor@dailyworld.in)