New Delhi: In what seems to be a huge relief to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Supreme Court granted interim bail on Friday to Kejriwal in the money laundering investigation by the Enforcement Directorate. However although Kejriwal has got interim bail in the ED case, the Chief Minister will continue to stay in jail because CBI had arrested the Chief Minister in a corruption case related to the excise policy scam.
The Apex Court has referred his petition challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to a larger bench. While granting the interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Top Court observed that Kejriwal is an elected leader and it is up to him to decide if he wants to continue as Delhi CM. SC also said that Kejriwal has suffered incarceration for over 90 days. Kejriwal had challenged the April 9 order of the Delhi High Court that had upheld his arrest in the case.
AAP's first reaction after bail
AAP took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and said, "Satyamev Jayate" after the interim bail was granted.
Excise policy case and Keriwal's arrest
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the ED in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.
The central probe agencies had accused Kejriwal of being involved in orchestrating alleged irregularities while modifying the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22. Kejriwal and few others were accused of extending undue favours to licence holders. This was in connection with the the Delhi government's new policy for liquor sellers that was introduced New Delhi in November 2021. AAp Govt had reportedly stopped government outlets from selling liquor and allowed private parties to apply for licence to run stores as part of the newly introduced policy.