Supreme Court may decide on Friday on Arvind Kejriwal interim bail

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it may pass an order on Friday on whether to grant interim bail to jailed Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy [Arvind Kejriwal v. Directorate of Enforcement]..This was told in open court by Justice Sanjiv Khanna on Wednesday. Justice Khanna along with Justice Dipankar Datta had on Tuesday heard the plea filed by Kejriwal challenging his arrest and remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Justice Khanna was sitting as part of another Bench on Wednesday when he told Enforcement Directorate counsel Additional Solicitor General SV Raju that the interim order in the Kejriwal case can be expected on Friday, May 10..The ED’s money-laundering probe against Kejriwal stems from a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2022 on a complaint made by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.It has been alleged that a criminal conspiracy was hatched by AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others to create loopholes in the Delhi Excise Policy of 2021-22 to favour some liquor sellers.Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 and is presently lodged in Tihar Jail.The ED had earlier submitted that Kejriwal cannot be treated differently from any other criminal merely because he is a politician.Kejriwal's counsel later countered that although Kejriwal, being a Chief Minister, is not immune from prosecution, his rights are not inferior to the rights of any other person.During an earlier hearing, the top court had questioned the ED on the timing of Kejriwal's ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections..On Tuesday, May 7, the Court had hinted at granting interim bail to Kejriwal in order to enable him to campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, it had also said that if interim bail is granted, Kejriwal would not be allowed to discharge any official duties as Chief Minister."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."

Supreme Court may decide on Friday on Arvind Kejriwal interim bail

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