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Relief for Kejriwal, yet no relief; SC grants Delhi CM bail in ED probe.
The Supreme Court of India on Friday granted bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with an alleged money laundering case probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) pertaining to the now-scrapped Delhi Liquor Policy. But Kejriwal will continue to be in jail since another central agency CBI had shown him arrested on June 26 and is now in judicial custody till July 25, in a separate case but pertaining to the same excise policy.
“Given the fact that right to life and liberty is sacrosanct, and Arvind Kejriwal has suffered incarceration of over 90 days and that the questions referred to above require in-depth consideration by a Larger bench, we direct that Arvind Kejriwal may be released on interim bail…” observed the bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta in the order. The AAP has welcomed the order and hailed it as “Satya Meva Jayate” (Truth Triumphs).
What Happened So Far
Kejriwal was arrested by ED on March 21, ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 in connection with the liquor police probe
Kejriwal challenged the arrest before Delhi High Court and the HC dismissed his plea on April 9. The CM had then challenged the order before the SC
SC, ahead of Lok Sabha polls, granted him interim bail with conditions for campaigning purposes. The interim bail expired on June 1 and Kejriwal had surrendered before the jail authorities on June 2.
On June 20, Delhi Rouse Avenue Court had granted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener bail in connection with the case. Vacation judge Niyay Bindu had said the ED did not provide enough evidence to keep Kejriwal behind bars.
ED had immediately moved to the Delhi High Court and the HC stayed the bail until the matter challenging the bail was disposed off. The HC had reserved the order and finally stayed the Rouse Avenue Court order granting Kejriwal bail on June 25.
On the same day, June 25, the CBI showed him arrested under the Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with a separate probe pertaining to a separate case but regarding the same alleged liquor policy scam.
Kejriwal has challenged this arrest by CBI before the Delhi High Court and has also sought bail. Both matters are slated to be heard on July 17.
Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday extended Arvind Kejriwal’s judicial custody till July 25 in connection with the CBI’s probe into the excise policy case.
