On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court stayed the trial court’s order granting bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case related to the now-scrapped excise policy scam. The High Court noted that the trial court had not “applied its mind” when granting bail to Kejriwal, handing a setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader.
Kejriwal had been granted bail by the trial court on Thursday, June 20, but the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenged the order in the Delhi High Court, which suspended the bail while considering the challenge.
Key Developments:
- Supreme Court Involvement: Kejriwal moved the Supreme Court of India against the Delhi HC’s stay on his bail. The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for June 26.
- ED’s Arrest and Allegations: Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in March on corruption charges related to the Delhi liquor policy, which he has denied, calling them politically motivated.
- Bail and Legal Proceedings: The trial court granted bail on June 20, ordering Kejriwal’s release on a personal bond of ₹1 lakh. The ED then moved the High Court, contending that the trial court’s order was “perverse,” “one-sided,” and based on irrelevant facts.
The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption in its formulation and execution. According to the CBI and ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the policy, extending undue favors to license holders.
The Delhi High Court vacation bench noted that the trial judge had not given adequate opportunity to the ED when deciding Kejriwal’s bail plea. They also observed that the interim bail seemed to have been granted for elections and stressed that personal liberty was not curtailed in violation of the law once the arrest and remand were declared valid.
Additional Notes:
- Supreme Court Remarks: The Supreme Court described the Delhi HC’s stay order as “unusual” and stated that the trial court did not fully consider the record presented by the ED against Kejriwal.
- Health Concerns: AAP has reported that Kejriwal’s health is “highly worrisome,” noting he has lost 8 kgs since his arrest.
