Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal granted bail
New Delhi: In a significant relief for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a court here granted him bail on Thursday in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise scam. The decision came as a major setback to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had sought to delay the bail order to explore further legal options.
Special Judge Niyay Bindu ordered Kejriwal’s release on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. The bail conditions stipulate that Kejriwal must not attempt to influence the investigation or witnesses, and he is required to appear before the court as needed and fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Earlier in the day, Judge Bindu had reserved the order after hearing arguments from both the ED, which aimed to connect Kejriwal with the alleged proceeds of the crime and co-accused, and the defence, which argued there was insufficient evidence against the AAP leader. Despite the ED’s plea to keep the bail order on hold for 48 hours, the court dismissed the request.
Kejriwal’s legal team is expected to submit the bail bond on Friday, facilitating his release from Tihar Jail. Meanwhile, the ED is anticipated to challenge the bail order in a higher court soon.
The granting of bail to Kejriwal, who is also the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), provides a strategic advantage to his party and its allies. Under Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), bail can only be granted if the judge is convinced that the accused did not commit the offence and is unlikely to commit any offence while out on bail.
A detailed order from the court is still awaited. Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 after the Delhi High Court denied him protection from arrest following his petition against the summons issued to him. On May 10, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail until June 1 to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, but he was required to return to jail on June 2, where he has remained since.
The trial court had previously denied Kejriwal interim bail on June 5, despite his plea citing various health issues.
