Big Setback For Arvind Kejriwal As Delhi High Court Pauses His Bail Order Till It Hears ED In Excise Policy Case

New Delhi: In the latest development in the Delhi excise policy case, the Delhi High Court on Friday has passed an order to stay Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s bail, which was issued by a trial court yesterday. Earlier in the day, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) moved the Delhi HC challenging the trial court order granting bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The lawyer representing the department will put the matter before the vacation bench for urgent hearing.

ED moves Delhi High Court against the order of the trial court granting bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi Excise policy money laundering case.

ED is likely to mention the matter for an urgent hearing. pic.twitter.com/zoPVr5a6cO

— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2024

On June 20, the Rouse Avenue Court granted bail to the Delhi Chief  Minister upon payment of a Rs 1 lakh bond. Notably, CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 over the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy case.

The high court stated that the bail order given by the trial court would be stayed until it hears the entire matter.

ED approached the high court earlier in the day where Additional Solicitor General SV Raju representing ED told Delhi High Court that the trial court order has not yet been uploaded and conditions are unknown. He further informed the HC that the probe agency has not been given full opportunity to oppose the bail application of CM Kejriwal, urging the order to stay and the matter to be heard as early as possible.

Reacting on the high court order, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj stated, “The law has no meaning for the central government. When the order did not come, which order did the ED challenge in the High Court?”

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.

The Delhi Chief Minister had been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10 in view of Lok Sabha polls and was told to surrender on June 2.

The Delhi High Court had earlier dismissed Kejriwal’s plea for release from jail and rejected his argument of political vendetta amid the Lok Sabha elections.

(with agency inputs)