Arvind Kejriwal’s first jail message after his March 2024 arrest became a major political moment during the run-up to India’s Lok Sabha election.
On March 23, 2024, his wife Sunita Kejriwal appeared in a video and read out a message she said had been sent by the then Delhi Chief Minister from Enforcement Directorate custody.
Kejriwal told supporters that his work for the country would continue despite his arrest, expressed confidence that he would eventually come out, asked Aam Aadmi Party workers not to hate BJP supporters, and reassured women in Delhi about one of his government’s promised welfare measures. (indianexpress.com)
At the time, the message was part of an intense political and legal battle.
Much has changed since then.
Kejriwal was later released on bail, resigned as Delhi Chief Minister, lost his New Delhi Assembly seat in 2025, and in 2026 was discharged along with the other accused by a trial court in the CBI excise-policy case. The CBI has challenged that discharge in the Delhi High Court.
Here is the complete context.
Why Was Arvind Kejriwal Arrested?
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Kejriwal on March 21, 2024 in connection with its money-laundering investigation arising from Delhi’s now-scrapped Excise Policy 2021–22.
The ED alleged that Kejriwal and other AAP figures were involved in a wider conspiracy connected with alleged irregularities in the liquor policy.
Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party denied the allegations and argued that the investigation was politically motivated.
His arrest took place shortly before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, making the case both a major legal dispute and a national political issue.
For a detailed background, read our Delhi Excise Policy Case explainer.
What Did Kejriwal Say in His Message From Custody?
Two days after the arrest, Sunita Kejriwal read her husband’s message publicly.
One of its central lines was:
“I will come out soon and keep my promise.”
Kejriwal said he had faced struggles throughout his life and that being arrested would not stop him from serving the country.
He also urged AAP workers to continue public-welfare activities instead of allowing his detention to halt the party’s work. (indiatoday.in)
Kejriwal Asked AAP Workers Not to Hate BJP Supporters
One of the more notable parts of the Kejriwal jail message was his appeal regarding supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
He asked AAP workers not to hate BJP members because of his arrest and described them as fellow “brothers and sisters.”
The message said:
“Do not hate the people from BJP.”
This stood out because AAP leaders were simultaneously accusing the BJP-led central government of misusing investigative agencies against political opponents — an allegation the BJP rejected. (ndtv.com)
The distinction is important: Kejriwal was criticizing political actions while asking supporters not to direct hostility toward ordinary members or supporters of another party.
What Did He Say to Women in Delhi?
Kejriwal also referred to a Delhi government proposal concerning financial support for women.
He acknowledged that some women might wonder whether the promise would continue while he remained in custody and asked them to trust that he would return and fulfil it. (indianexpress.com)
This part of the message had a clear political dimension.
The AAP was attempting to reassure its supporters that government programmes and political commitments would continue despite the chief minister’s detention.
Why Was Sunita Kejriwal Delivering the Message?
Sunita Kejriwal became one of the main public channels for her husband’s statements during the early period of his custody.
A former Indian Revenue Service officer, she had generally maintained a lower political profile before his arrest.
But after March 2024, she appeared publicly several times to communicate messages attributed to Kejriwal and later participated in opposition campaign events.
On March 31, for example, she read another message at an INDIA bloc rally in Delhi containing six political guarantees related to electricity, education, healthcare, farmers and Delhi statehood. (indianexpress.com)
What Happened After the March 2024 Message?
The legal situation continued for months.
Kejriwal received temporary relief from the Supreme Court in May 2024 so that he could campaign during the Lok Sabha election before returning to custody after the interim-bail period ended. The Supreme Court emphasized at that stage that he had not been convicted.
In July 2024, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in the ED case while referring important questions regarding the legality of his arrest for further consideration.
However, he remained in custody because the CBI had separately arrested him in the corruption case connected with the same excise-policy investigation.
Supreme Court Grants Kejriwal Bail in September 2024
On September 13, 2024, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal bail in the CBI case.
He then walked out of Tihar Jail after spending nearly six months in custody across the related proceedings.
The two judges agreed that he should receive bail, although they expressed different views on aspects of the CBI arrest.
Importantly, a bail order does not itself determine whether the prosecution’s allegations are true or false.
It determines whether an accused person should remain in custody while the legal process continues.
Kejriwal Resigned as Delhi Chief Minister
Two days after his release, Kejriwal announced that he would resign as Delhi Chief Minister.
He said he wanted voters to decide whether they considered him honest and stated that he would return to the chief minister’s position only after receiving a renewed public mandate.
Atishi subsequently became Chief Minister of Delhi.
This meant that the prediction in the original March 2024 article — that Kejriwal would simply return and continue as before — does not accurately reflect what ultimately happened.
What Happened in the 2025 Delhi Election?
The political outcome was another major development.
In the February 2025 Delhi Assembly election, Kejriwal contested his long-held New Delhi constituency.
BJP candidate Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma defeated him.
The reported final vote totals were:
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma | BJP | 30,088 |
| Arvind Kejriwal | AAP | 25,999 |
| Sandeep Dikshit | Congress | 4,568 |
The winning margin was 4,089 votes.
The BJP also won the Delhi election overall, ending AAP’s decade-long control of the Delhi government.
Kejriwal nevertheless remained active as AAP’s national convenor and continued participating in political campaigns and public issues through 2026.
Major 2026 Update: Trial Court Discharges Kejriwal in CBI Case
The most important legal development came on February 27, 2026.
A Delhi trial court discharged all 23 accused in the CBI’s excise-policy corruption case, including:
- Arvind Kejriwal
- Manish Sisodia
- K Kavitha
- Sarath Chandra Reddy
- other individuals named in the prosecution
The court concluded that the prosecution material was insufficient to proceed to trial against the accused.
This is a major development and should be included in any updated article about Kejriwal’s 2024 detention.
However, discharge is not the same thing as a final acquittal after trial, and the legal process did not end there.
CBI Challenges the Discharge
The CBI moved the Delhi High Court against the trial court order on the same day.
The agency argues that the trial court did not properly consider important evidence and has asked the High Court to overturn the discharge.
As of the latest available update, the High Court has scheduled further arguments in the CBI challenge for October 5 and 6, 2026.
So the most accurate current position is:
Kejriwal has been discharged by the trial court in the CBI case, but that decision is under challenge before the Delhi High Court.
For more detail on the case and political-funding controversy, read our Delhi Excise Policy and Electoral Bonds analysis.
Kejriwal Jail Message: Key Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 21, 2024 | ED arrests Arvind Kejriwal |
| March 23, 2024 | Sunita Kejriwal reads his first major message from custody |
| May 2024 | Supreme Court grants temporary interim bail for election campaigning |
| June 2, 2024 | Kejriwal returns to custody |
| June 26, 2024 | CBI formally arrests him in related corruption case |
| July 12, 2024 | Supreme Court grants interim bail in ED case |
| Sept. 13, 2024 | Supreme Court grants bail in CBI case; Kejriwal leaves jail |
| Sept. 2024 | Kejriwal resigns as Delhi Chief Minister |
| Feb. 8, 2025 | Loses New Delhi Assembly seat to BJP’s Parvesh Verma |
| Feb. 27, 2026 | Trial court discharges all 23 accused in CBI case |
| 2026 | CBI challenges discharge before Delhi High Court |
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Arvind Kejriwal’s message from jail?
In March 2024, Kejriwal said he would continue serving the country, expressed confidence that he would come out, asked AAP workers to continue social-welfare work and urged them not to hate BJP supporters. (ndtv.com)
Who read Kejriwal’s jail message?
His wife, Sunita Kejriwal, read the message during a video statement on March 23, 2024. (indianexpress.com)
When was Kejriwal released from jail?
The Supreme Court granted him bail in the CBI case on September 13, 2024, after which he was released from Tihar Jail.
Is Arvind Kejriwal still Delhi Chief Minister?
No. He resigned in September 2024 and later lost the New Delhi Assembly constituency in the 2025 election.
What is the latest update in the excise-policy case?
A Delhi trial court discharged Kejriwal and the other accused in the CBI case in February 2026. The CBI has challenged that decision in the Delhi High Court, where proceedings remain ongoing.
Final Takeaway
Arvind Kejriwal’s jail message of March 23, 2024 was delivered during one of the most consequential periods of his political career.
Through Sunita Kejriwal, he told supporters that detention would not stop his public work, expressed confidence that he would return and asked AAP workers not to direct hatred toward BJP supporters.
At the time, no one knew how long his detention or the legal proceedings would last.
The events that followed were significant.
Kejriwal eventually received bail from the Supreme Court, resigned as Delhi Chief Minister, lost his New Delhi Assembly seat in 2025 and continued leading AAP nationally.
Then, in February 2026, a Delhi trial court discharged him and the other accused in the CBI excise-policy case.
That discharge is now being challenged by the CBI in the Delhi High Court.
The updated story is therefore more complex than either the original optimistic “resilient promise” framing or the prosecution allegations alone.
It is a story involving a political message from custody, months of litigation, Supreme Court bail, electoral defeat, a trial-court discharge and an ongoing appellate challenge.
For more verified political developments, visit the Buzz Content Corner Politics section.
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