Kapil Sibal slams ED for 'playing politics' over CM Kejriwal's interim bail

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal slammed the Enforcement Directorate for playing politics over the issue of interim bail of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

He also advised them to know how Hardik Patel, who later joined the BJP, contested the election after being convicted.

"Yesterday, ED presented its side before the Supreme Court and said that Arvind Kejriwal should not be granted interim bail because the right to campaign is a legal right, not a Constitutional right...It is correct. But the law also provides that if someone has been awarded punishment and court says that they are staying the punishment, he can take part in campaigning...,' Sibal told ANI.

Sibal added: "Ask them how Hardik Patel contested the election. Hardik Patel was convicted, High Court stayed it. Hardik approached the Supreme Court and the Court stayed it. Hardik contested the election and joined the BJP. Someone, against whom you have evidence and punishment, has the right (to campaign) if the Court stays it. But someone who is just an accused can't be given the stay...What kind of politics is ED doing?..."

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will pass an order today on CM Kejriwal's interim bail in the money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

A bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna on Wednesday told Enforcement Directorate counsel Additional Solicitor General SV Raju that it may pass the order on interim relief to Kejriwal on Friday.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

Kejriwal, while filing an appeal in the apex court, contended that his arrest after the announcement of the General Elections is "motivated by extraneous considerations."

On April 9, the High Court had dismissed his plea for release from jail and rejected his argument of political vendetta amid the looming Lok Sabha elections. The High Court had said that Kejriwal's absence from nine ED summons over six months undermined any claims of special privilege as Chief Minister, suggesting his arrest was an inevitable consequence of his non-cooperation.