Supreme Court grants Arvind Kejriwal interim bail amid legal challenges

New Delhi, July 12: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering case related to the defunct Delhi Excise Policy.

The decision came as a Bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta referred certain legal aspects raised by Kejriwal to a larger bench for consideration as reported by Bar and Bench.

The Supreme Court's directive to release Kejriwal on interim bail underscores its concern for the right to life amidst the legal complexities of the case. However, despite this relief in the ED matter, Kejriwal remains in custody due to a separate case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Earlier, the Bench had granted Kejriwal interim bail until June 1 to facilitate his participation in the Lok Sabha elections campaign, after which he returned to judicial custody. The Delhi CM was arrested by the ED on March 21, accused of involvement in a conspiracy, along with other AAP leaders, to manipulate the Delhi Excise Policy of 2021-22 for the benefit of select liquor vendors.

Initially denied bail by the Delhi High Court, Kejriwal moved the Supreme Court, which reserved its verdict on May 17. Subsequently, the trial court granted him bail on June 20, a decision later overturned by the Delhi High Court on June 25, prompting Kejriwal to withdraw his initial appeal and file a fresh one.

The Supreme Court's decision to grant interim bail while referring key legal questions to a larger bench sets the stage for further judicial scrutiny into the complexities of the case against Arvind Kejriwal.