Today, On 23rd June, Arvind Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court to challenge an interim stay on his bail, imposed by Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain of the High Court. The High Court had previously put on hold the trial court’s decision to grant Kejriwal bail. Kejriwal’s legal team argues that the stay is unwarranted and seeks relief from the Supreme Court.
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court to contest the Delhi High Court‘s interim stay on his bail in a money laundering case linked to the now-defunct Delhi excise policy.
Kejriwal’s legal team informed Bar & Bench of their intent to seek an urgent hearing on the matter on Monday.
On Friday, Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain of the High Court issued an interim stay on the trial court’s decision to grant bail to Kejriwal. The trial court had approved Kejriwal’s bail on Thursday, requiring a bail bond of Rs. 1 lakh for his release.
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Special Judge Niyay Bindu of the Rouse Avenue Court remarked that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) failed to present any direct evidence connecting Kejriwal to the proceeds of the crime. Furthermore, the ED could not demonstrate that another accused, Vijay Nair, acting on Kejriwal’s behalf.
The special judge also criticized the ED for showing bias against Kejriwal. The ED promptly appealed to the Delhi High Court, obtaining an urgent hearing and seeking a stay on the bail order.
During the High Court hearing, the judge reserved the decision on the stay request but imposed an interim stay on the bail order until the final decision announced.
The High Court stated,
“I am reserving the order for two to three days. Till pronouncement of the order, the operation of the trial court order is stayed.”
This development resulted in Kejriwal’s appeal to the Supreme Court.
Kejriwal detained by the ED on March 21, accused of being involved in a scheme to intentionally create loopholes in the 2021-22 Delhi Excise Policy to benefit certain liquor vendors. The ED claims that kickbacks from these liquor vendors used to finance the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) election campaign in Goa, holding Kejriwal, as the National Convenor, both personally and vicariously responsible for money laundering.
Kejriwal refuted these allegations, accusing the ED of operating an extortion racket.
Other AAP leaders implicated in the same case include former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, and Member of Parliament, Sanjay Singh. Singh currently out on bail, while Sisodia remains in jail.
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In May, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail to allow him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. He returned to jail on June 2 after the interim bail period ended.
Kejriwal also requested interim bail for seven days on medical grounds, but the trial court rejected this application on June 5.
Subsequently, the trial court granted his regular bail plea on merits, prompting the ED to appeal to the High Court. The High Court’s interim stay on the trial court order has led to the current appeal before the Supreme Court.