“CBI must show it is an uncaged parrot…”: Supreme Court Grants Bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Questions CBI’s Intent Behind his Arrest

The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, stating that his "prolonged incarceration amounts to unjust deprivation of liberty". A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan granted bail to Kejriwal who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the excise policy case in June.


The Supreme Court strongly criticized the CBI's handling of Kejriwal's arrest. Justice Bhuyan remarked that the CBI must now prove it is an "uncaged parrot.” "The CBI must dispel the notion of being a caged parrot. It must show it is an uncaged parrot,” noted Justice Bhuyan. He expressed confusion over the urgency of Kejriwal's arrest when the CBI had not acted for 22 months and described the continued detention as a travesty of justice.

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Surya Kant, who delivered separate verdicts, both agreed on the necessity of Kejriwal’s release. While the Delhi Chief Minister can now leave jail after nearly six months in jail, he is restricted from going to his office or the Delhi Secretariat, or signing any official documents without the consent of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
Justice Bhuyan further noted that the CBI could not justify Kejriwal's arrest by citing his alleged evasive replies and stated that non-cooperation should not equate to self-incrimination. The Court questioned whether the timing of the arrest was intended to hinder Kejriwal’s bail in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case.

The Supreme Court’s ruling allows Kejriwal to be released on bail, provided he furnishes a ₹10 lakh bail bond and two sureties of the same amount. However, Kejriwal is prohibited from making public comments on the merits of the case, and the conditions imposed in the ED case also apply here.

Welcoming the decision, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) celebrated the Supreme Court’s verdict. “Satyamev Jayate (victory of truth),” the party declared. Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia praised the court’s decision, asserting that “truth has won in the fight against lies and conspiracies.” Delhi Minister Atishi echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that “truth can be troubled but not defeated.”

AAP leaders, including Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, criticized the BJP and expressed optimism about the party's future. Singh accused the BJP of attempting to undermine democracy, while Chadha saw the release as a boost for the party’s upcoming electoral campaigns.

NCP leader Sharad Pawar and RJD MP Manoj Jha also congratulated AAP and its legal team, with Jha criticizing the BJP for what he described as "fake and fictitious cases."

In response, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for Kejriwal’s resignation, questioning his moral standing following the bail. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, “The Supreme Court has shown a mirror to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and granted him conditional bail.” Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva referred to Kejriwal as a member of AAP’s “Zamaanti Club,” and urged the party to carefully review the Supreme Court’s judgment.​