Supreme Court Grants Kejriwal Bail in ED Case; Judicial Custody Continues for CBI

The Supreme Court of India announced its judgement today. The verdict is coming on a hot case of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the ED related to an alleged excise policy scam. The verdict was delivered by the bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

Supreme Court grants interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal in the ED case, and sends his plea against arrest by the agency to a larger bench. He will, however, remain in jail due to judicial custody in the CBI case.

The Supreme Court had reserved its decision on May 17, focusing on the legality of Kejriwal’s arrest. During the hearings Additional Solicitor General SV Raju presented evidence claiming that illicit funds were funneled to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) via hawala networks. Raju alleged that the ED uncovered communications between Kejriwal and hawala operators discussing the proceeds from the purported crime.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi who is presenting Kejriwal challenged the validity of the ED’s evidence.

On May 10, the Supreme Court had granted Kejriwal interim bail until June 1, but imposed restrictions, barring him from visiting the Office of the Chief Minister or the Delhi Secretariat. Following this, Kejriwal surrendered on June 2, complying with the court’s directive.

Kejriwal’s plea serves as an appeal against a Delhi High Court ruling that dismissed his challenge to the arrest and subsequent remand by the ED in this ongoing case.

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Since his custody on March 21, as part of a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22, Kejriwal has been engaged in a rigorous legal battle to assert his iannocence amid a swirl of allegations and counterclaims.

As the Supreme Court prepares to deliver its ruling, the outcome is expected to have significant political implications, influencing the landscape ahead of the upcoming elections. The verdict will not only determine Kejriwal’s immediate legal fate but also resonate through the broader political arena in Delhi.

AAP’s First Reaction After the Interim Bail:

‘AAP tweeted from its official X handle – “Satyamev Jayate.”