Supreme Court Grants Interim Bail to Arvind Kejriwal in ED Case, Sends Plea to Larger Bench

 In a high-stakes legal development, the Supreme Court of India delivered its verdict today on the plea filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the ongoing alleged excise policy scam. The landmark judgment, rendered by a bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, grants interim bail to Kejriwal but keeps him in custody due to his ongoing judicial remand in a separate CBI case.

The Supreme Court’s decision on May 17 to reserve judgment marked a critical juncture in the case, as it scrutinized the legality of Kejriwal’s arrest. During the hearings, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju presented evidence suggesting that illicit funds were allegedly channeled to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) through hawala networks. Raju claimed that the ED had uncovered communications between Kejriwal and hawala operators discussing the proceeds from the purported crime.

In response, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, challenged the validity of the ED’s evidence, arguing that the arrest and subsequent remand lacked substantive legal grounds. Singhvi contended that the evidence presented by the ED was insufficient to justify Kejriwal’s continued detention.

The Court had previously granted Kejriwal interim bail on May 10, with conditions barring him from visiting the Office of the Chief Minister or the Delhi Secretariat until June 1. Complying with this directive, Kejriwal surrendered on June 2, maintaining his legal stance throughout the proceedings.

Kejriwal’s plea represents an appeal against a Delhi High Court ruling that dismissed his challenge to the arrest and subsequent remand by the ED. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling grants Kejriwal interim bail while sending his plea challenging the ED’s actions to a larger bench for further examination.

Since his custody on March 21, as part of a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22, Kejriwal has been embroiled in a rigorous legal battle to assert his innocence. The case has been marked by intense legal arguments and political ramifications.

Read more: https://indiaobservers.com/excise-policy-scam-kejriwal-arrest/

The Supreme Court’s decision holds significant implications for both Kejriwal’s immediate legal situation and the broader political landscape in Delhi. As the case progresses, the outcome is anticipated to influence the political dynamics leading up to the upcoming elections, reflecting the interplay between legal processes and political strategy.