Supreme Court to pronounce order on interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal in excise policy case today
SC verdict on Kejriwal: The top court had reserved its verdict on the interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal, and will pronounce the order today. The decision will determine whether Kejriwal would be able to campaign in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 or he would continue to be lodged in Tihar Jail.
SC verdict on Kejriwal: The Supreme Court on Friday (May 10) will deliver its verdict on Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case linked to alleged liquor scam. The top court will pronounce its decision on whether Kejriwal would be granted an interim bail or he will continue to stay in the Tihar Jail. The Delhi Chief Minister had approached the SC seeking interim bail in view of the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who headed the bench which heard Kejriwal’s petition against his arrest in the case, said, “We will pronounce the interim order (on interim bail) on Friday. The main matter related to the challenge to arrest will also be taken on the same day.”
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 this year and is currently behind the bars at Tihar under judicial custody. On May 7, the bench, also comprising Justice Dipankar Datta, had reserved its verdict on interim bail to Kejriwal. The bench had risen without pronouncing order on granting Kejriwal interim bail to enable him to campaign in the ongoing general elections.
The order was reserved after hearing the arguments of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal and Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing on behalf of the ED.
What were the arguments presented?
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who also appeared for the probe agency, had staunchly opposed showing any leniency to Kejriwal on account of the Lok Sabha polls and said granting interim bail to the AAP national convenor would amount to creating a separate class for politicians.
The bench has divided the hearing on Kejriwal’s petition against his arrest into two parts. His main petition challenges his arrest by the ED and seeks it to be declared as illegal, while the second aspect pertains to grant of interim bail keeping in mind the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. The court reserved the order on the issue of grant of interim bail. On Tuesday, a Delhi court extended Kejriwal’s judicial custody in the money laundering case till May 20.
The Delhi High Court had on April 9 upheld Kejriwal’s arrest, saying there was no illegality and the ED was left with “little option” after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation. The matter relates to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.
(With PTI inputs)
News Source:- INDIA TV
