The Supreme Court is set to announce its decision regarding granting interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case connected to the alleged excise policy scam on May 10. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, leading the bench handling Kejriwal’s petition against his arrest, stated that the interim order on bail will be given on Friday, along with addressing the main issue concerning the challenge to his arrest.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India is poised to decide on Friday whether to grant interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently incarcerated in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy.
This announcement was made by Justice Sanjiv Khanna during a court session Today. Justice Khanna, alongside Justice Dipankar Datta, had previously presided over Kejriwal’s plea contesting his arrest and subsequent remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who headed the bench which heard Kejriwal’s petition against his arrest in the case, said,
“We will pronounce the interim order (on interim bail) on Friday. The main matter related to the challenge to arrest will also be taken on the same day.”
The charges against Kejriwal arise from allegations of orchestrating a criminal conspiracy alongside other leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, to manipulate the Delhi Excise Policy of 2021-22 to benefit certain liquor vendors. This investigation by the ED follows an initial probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) instigated by a complaint from Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena in 2022.
Since his arrest on March 21, Kejriwal has been held at Tihar Jail. The ED has argued that Kejriwal, despite his political stature, should not receive preferential treatment in judicial proceedings.
In response, Kejriwal’s legal team has argued that his rights as an individual are equivalent to those of any other citizen, irrespective of his political role.
“Suppose we grant interim bail on account of elections. Then if you say you will attend to office then it may have cascading effect.. Dr Singhvi if we give any interim bail we do not want you to be performing official duties as somewhere it will lead to conflict. We do not want interference at all in the working of the government,”
-the Court remarked.
However, in the same breath, the Court had also remarked on Tuesday,
“Let us see whether at all it (interim bail) should be given or not.”
During previous court sessions, the Supreme Court expressed concerns regarding the timing of Kejriwal’s arrest ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and hinted at the possibility of granting him interim bail to participate in the electoral campaign.
However, the justices emphasized that, should bail be granted, Kejriwal would be prohibited from performing any official duties as Chief Minister to prevent any potential conflicts or interference with government operations.
The Court’s deliberation continues as it considers the implications of granting interim bail, with a decision expected to be announced imminently.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Arvind Kejriwal
Click Here to Read Previous Reports of Delhi Excise Policy Scam
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