Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to be released from jail today after the Rouse Avenue court granted him bail in the contentious excise policy case on Thursday.
On the other hand, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to challenge this decision in the Delhi High Court, seeking to overturn the bail granted to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader.
Kejriwal, who has been in judicial custody since March 21, was granted bail on Thursday by vacation judge Nyay Bindu. The court mandated a bond of ₹1,00,000.
Despite the ED's request for a 48-hour delay in the bail bond process, the court dismissed the plea, prompting the agency to prepare a higher court appeal.
The arrest of Kejriwal stemmed from an alleged money laundering scheme linked to a now-defunct liquor policy.
The Supreme Court had previously granted him a 21-day interim bail in May due to the Lok Sabha elections, after which he surrendered to Tihar Jail on June 2.
Kejriwal initially sought relief from the Delhi High Court, which upheld the ED’s actions, citing his non-compliance with multiple summonses. Following the Supreme Court's refusal to extend his interim bail, Kejriwal applied for regular bail last month.
During the bail hearings, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju presented a strong opposition.
He accused AAP leaders of receiving kickbacks to design a policy benefiting specific business interests and channeling the proceeds into the party's Goa election campaign through Hawala transactions.
Raju claimed that Kejriwal had interactions with Hawala dealers, highlighting a transaction involving ₹45 crore.
Raju alleged that the funds were transmitted by one Vinod Chauhan and received by Chanpreet Singh Rayat, who managed AAP's Goa election campaign.
Furthermore, he asserted that Kejriwal stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Goa in November 2021, with expenses covered by Singh’s bank account.
Kejriwal's defence contested these claims, emphasizing the lack of concrete evidence linking the AAP to the ₹45 crore. His lawyer argued that Chanpreet Singh Rayat never admitted to funding the AAP campaign or handling illicit funds.
The defence urged the court to treat Kejriwal without special considerations in the bail decision.
The court’s decision to grant bail has sparked a fierce political debate. Kapil Sibal, a prominent lawyer and Rajya Sabha member, remarked that the bail was long overdue.
"The bail granted to the Delhi chief minister was part of the judicial process. In a democracy, the final verdict on any politician is given by the people, who have already expressed their view by defeating the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress alliance," Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said in a statement.
AAP Legal Cell's state president Sanjeev Nasiar accused the ED of acting under external pressure, while party spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar described the bail as almost tantamount to an acquittal.
Kakkar labelled the case as fabricated by the BJP, expressing gratitude for the "historic" court verdict.
Conversely, the BJP has maintained a critical stance.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva pointed out that the defeat of the AAP-Congress alliance in the recent Lok Sabha polls reflects the public's stance on the allegations.
"The bail granted to the Delhi chief minister was part of the judicial process. In a democracy, the final verdict on any politician is given by the people, who have already expressed their view by defeating the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress alliance," Sachdeva said in a statement.
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