Supreme Court grants interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in excise policy case

The Supreme Court on Friday (Jul12) granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policycase by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The top court also referred Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest by the ED to a larger bench.

While granting bail toKejriwal in the ED case, SC observed that Arvind Kejriwal has suffered imprisonment of 90 days, and it’s conscious he is an elected leader.

CM Kejriwal's lawyer Rishikesh Kumar said, “The Supreme Court has granted him temporary bail while referring the issue of section 19 and the necessity of arrest to a larger bench. CM Kejriwal will continue to be detained as his bail in the CBI case is still pending. This marks a significant triumph.”

However, the Delhi CM will remain incarcerated since he is in custody in the CBI case in the excise policy matter.

The top court further added that courts can't direct Kejriwal to step down because of his arrest, adding, “It's for him to take a call”.

"It has been directed that Arvind Kejriwalshould be released from jail. However, after the trial court had granted him bail, he was also arrested by CBI in a related but separate case. Kejriwal has initiated proceedings in that case also which is pending and coming before the High Court of the 17th. His actual release from the jail will depend on the outcome of the CBI case," said Supreme Court lawyer Shadan Farast on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's bail.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

The CBI has alleged that liquor companies were involved in making the excise policy, which would have earned them a 12% profit.

In it's first reaction toDelhi CM's interim bail judgement, AAP tweeted, ‘Satyamev Jayate'.

On Supreme Court granting interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Minister Atishi said, "...BJP knew that Arvind Kejriwalhas been granted bail by the Rouse Avenue Court, they know that he will get bail by the Supreme Court too. That is why, they hatched another conspiracy and the day on which the bail hearing was scheduled to come up before the Supreme Court, they made CBI arrest Arvind Kejriwal a day before that."

"Why was he arrested by the CBI? Because if he received bail in ED case, he would come out of jail and work for the people of Delhi 10 times faster... I would like to tell the BJP today, one after the other - every court in this country has exposed your conspiracy... every court is granting bail to Arvind Kejriwal. I would like to tell BJP, end your arrogance and stop hatching conspiracy against other parties. Truth can be troubled but not defeated," she added.

(With inputs from agencies)