On Thursday, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi granted significant relief to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by granting him bail in the money laundering case related to the excise policy. Following this, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Delhi High Court today against Kejriwal's bail.
The ED has moved the Delhi High Court against the trial court’s order granting bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy money laundering case. The ED has requested an urgent hearing, and the High Court has agreed to hear the case promptly.
The ED claims that it was not given a fair opportunity to oppose Kejriwal's bail application, and therefore, the lower court’s bail order should be stayed. Kejriwal's lawyers advised the ED’s counsel to respect the court's decision. It will only become clear whether Kejriwal will be released today after the High Court’s hearing. The Delhi High Court has stated that the trial court's order will not be effective until it hears the ED's petition challenging Kejriwal's bail.
AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh criticized the ED’s move to approach the High Court against Kejriwal’s bail, saying, "Look at Modi government’s hooliganism. The trial court’s order hasn’t even been issued, and Modi’s ED has rushed to the High Court to challenge it. What’s happening in this country? Why are you mocking the judicial system, Modi ji? The whole country is watching you."
On Thursday, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi provided major relief to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by granting him bail in the money laundering case related to the excise policy. Prior to this, the Supreme Court had granted Kejriwal bail for campaigning in the Lok Sabha elections. He then surrendered on June 2.
Vacation Judge Bindu passed this order after two days of hearings with Kejriwal and the ED. Earlier in the day, she reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides. She had clarified that she would deliver the verdict immediately after the arguments were concluded, given the high-profile nature of the case.
Following the announcement of the order on Thursday evening, the ED requested a 48-hour delay in signing the bail bond so they could challenge the order in an appellate court. The court rejected this request, refusing to stay the order. The court granted Kejriwal bail on a personal bond of one lakh rupees.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 on allegations of conspiring to leave intentional loopholes in the now-defunct 2021-22 Delhi excise policy to benefit certain liquor vendors. The ED has alleged that the bribes received from these vendors were used for the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) election campaign in Goa, and as the national convenor of the party, Kejriwal is personally and indirectly responsible for the crime of money laundering. Kejriwal has denied the allegations and accused the ED of running an extortion racket.