Delhi High Court Stops Bail for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Liquor Policy Case

The Delhi High Court has put a hold on the trial court’s decision to grant bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case related to the excise policy.

Shazia Ilmi Criticizes AAP

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shazia Ilmi criticized the Aam Aadmi Party for its ‘double standards’ regarding judicial proceedings. She stated, ‘When the bail was granted in the trial court, ED said that their arguments haven’t been heard… If the bail is granted then AAP sees it as relaxation. When the bail order is stayed through the same judicial system, then they blame the BJP for this. Be it bail or jail, it is a judicial proceeding… AAP has to quit such double standards.’

High Court’s Decision

The vacation bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain said that the judgment will be delivered in two to three days. ‘Till pronouncement, the operation of the impugned order shall remain stayed,’ the court said while putting an interim stay on the trial court decision granting bail to Kejriwal.

Enforcement Directorate’s Challenge

The High Court was hearing the Enforcement Directorate’s plea challenging the trial court decision granting bail to Kejriwal. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, argued that the trial court order is perverse and that the probe agency was not given a proper opportunity to present their case.

Background

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22. He was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10 given Lok Sabha polls and was told to surrender on June 2. He was also asked not to visit the Office of the Chief Minister and the Delhi Secretariat.