The AAP has said it will challenge the Delhi court ruling on Friday if it goes against party leader Arvind Kejriwal, who is in judicial custody for refusing to furnish a bail bond in a criminal defamation case filed by former BJP president Nitin Gadkari.

The party said it willé also launch a mass contact programme to explain to the people why Kejriwal took a “principled” stand by not furnishing a bail bond for naming Gadkari among the “most corrupt” in the country.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said: “If calling a corrupt person corrupt is a crime, then we will commit the crime and go to jail. Gadkari was removed from the office by BJP over the corruption charges.”

Bail bond At a press conference, senior lawyer and AAP leader Prashant Bhushan said: “We told the court that it is not necessary to have a bail bond for those who are ready to give an undertaking that they will remain present for court proceedings.

“We will highlight the facts before the court tomorrow. Many poor people are stuck in the jail because they cannot provide the bail bond.”

On Thursday, Kejriwal’s wife Sunita, a revenue service officer, told the media after meeting him in jail, “He is not a criminal. Why should he pay money when he is ready to give an undertaking?”

The AAP said it has decided to launch a door-to-door campaign instead of a protest after some leaders met Kejriwal in Tihar Jail, where he has been lodged for two days.

Protesters arrested On Thursday, over 50 AAP protesters, including Yogendra Yadav, Manish Sisodia and Rakhi Birla, who were arrested for violating prohibitory orders outside the jail, were released on bail after they furnished personal surety bonds.

Yadav, who refused to furnish a surety bond, was taken to the Tis Hazari court where Metropolitan Magistrate Ekta Gauba directed him to furnish a personal bond of ₹5,000. Yadav accepted the court’s decision and was freed. The Congress questioned why Yadav furnished a personal bond when Kejriwal had refused to do so.

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