Supreme Court grants interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy case on Friday.
The Apex Court refers his petition challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to a larger bench.
The Supreme Court, while granting interim bail to Kejriwal in the ED case, observed that Arvind Kejriwal has been incarcerated for 90 days, and it is conscious that he is an elected leader.
CM Kejriwal’s lawyer Rishikesh Kumar said, “The Supreme Court has granted him interim bail and the issue of section 19 and necessity of arrest has been referred to a larger bench. CM Kejriwal will remain in custody as his bail in the CBI case is still pending. This is a big victory.”
#WATCH | On Supreme Court granting interim bail to CM Arvind Kejriwal, CM Kejriwal’s lawyer Rishikesh Kumar says, “The Supreme Court has granted him interim bail and the issue of section 19 and necessity of arrest has been referred to a larger bench. CM Kejriwal will remain in… pic.twitter.com/et9ectf34R
— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2024
The chief minister, however, will remain in custody as he was subsequently arrested by the CBI in a corruption case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.
BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat said, “Interim Bail is not a relief from the crime that one has committed. Interim Bail provides for one to stay out of jail as the case proceeds. But it doesn’t mean that Arvind Kejriwal has not done a scam, that he was not involved in corruption… Perhaps Supreme Court has allowed him to be out and work as the people of Delhi are suffering. But the court has not acquitted him.”
#WATCH | On Supreme Court granting interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in ED matter of Excise Policy case, BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat says, “Interim Bail is not a relief from the crime that one has committed. Interim Bail provides for one to stay out of jail as the case… pic.twitter.com/8t3PCawhIh
— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2024
A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta has referred questions regarding the legality of his arrest by the ED to a larger bench.
Delhi State President AAP Legal Cell, Adv Sanjeev Nasair said, “I thank the Supreme Court that today is a day of great relief. We have been saying from the very first day that this case of PMLA is completely baseless. There is no basis of any kind in it. Neither Arvind Kejriwal’s name was there in the FIR, nor is there any evidence against Arvind Kejriwal. And till now the ED has not been able to prove anywhere under what circumstances the Chief Minister had to be arrested, because we have been saying from day one that this is a politically motivated case.”
#WATCH | On Supreme Court granting interim bail to CM Arvind Kejriwal in ED matter of Excise Policy case, Delhi State President AAP Legal Cell, Adv Sanjeev Nasair says, “I thank the Supreme Court that today is a day of great relief. We have been saying from the very first day… pic.twitter.com/fbo5FRK2r3
— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2024
Furthermore, Advocate Vivek Jain, counsel for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said that there are very issues of law which the Supreme Court was grappling with.
“One of the issues was the necessity of arrest, we had argued before the Court that since the material was there with ED since July-August 2023, why was he arrested in March 2024… Court must have considered the argument… During the time that the matter is pending before the larger bench, the court has allowed Mr Kejriwal to be our on interim bail. As far as the ED case is concerned, he is out. As far as CBI matter is concerned, his matter is going to come up for hearing on 17th July before High Court where we would be praying the High Court to release him immediately because there are no strict conditions which are there in CBI,” he added.
#WATCH | On Supreme Court granting interim bail to CM Arvind Kejriwal in ED matter of Excise Policy case, Advocate Vivek Jain, counsel for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal says, “There are very issues of law which the Supreme Court was grappling with. One of the issues was the necessity… pic.twitter.com/Q6EcP1LtJk
— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2024
AAP in a post on X said, “Satyamev Jayate”.
सत्यमेव जयते 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/dG5o2eHB0l
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) July 12, 2024
The Supreme Court has outlined three questions concerning the authority and procedures of the ED’s arrest and directed that Kejriwal be granted interim bail under the conditions specified in the May 10 order.
Kejriwal was initially arrested on March 21 by the ED concerning a money laundering case. Subsequently, on June 26, he was arrested by the CBI for alleged corruption involving the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which has since been revoked due to allegations of wrongdoing and financial impropriety.
The ED arrested Kejriwal on March 21 concerning a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
(With inputs from agencies)
