Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal gets bail; likely to walk out tomorrow

mangaloretoday/ The Hindu

New Delhi, Julie 20, 2024: Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday granted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal bail on a Rs.1 lakh bond, with the embattled Aam Aadmi Party chief set to walk out of Tihar Jail on Friday. The court also declined the Enforcement Directorate’s plea to stay Kejriwal’s bail order for 48 hours.

Kejriwal has been in jail since March, in connection with money laundering allegations in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam, with multiple cases later filed against him by the ED.

"Truth can be troubled, but not defeated," the Aam Aadmi Party said after Kejriwal was granted bail.

Meanwhile, the ED is set to move the Delhi High Court on Friday morning against the trial court’s judgement, according to media reports.

Earlier in the day, Special Judge Niyay Bindu reserved the court’s order after hearing the ED, which sought to link Kejriwal to the alleged proceeds of crime and co-accused, and the defence that claimed the prosecution has no evidence to nail the AAP leader.

While hearing the case on Wednesday, the central probe agency told the court that if the AAP, which has been arrayed as an accused in the case, commits a crime, the person in charge of the party will be held culpable.

The ED told the court that when former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was made an accused in the case, the AAP was not named as an accused.

"Kejriwal demanded bribe. He asked for bribe of Rs 100 crore. Kejriwal asked for funds for the AAP. Kejriwal demanded kickbacks from South Group. You can’t say he is not guilty of offence. If AAP commits a crime, then every person in charge of the party will be deemed to be guilty,” the ED told Special Judge Bindu.

The Delhi Chief Minister was allowed out on bail, earlier, during campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections. Kejriwal was out on bail for 21 days till June 1 and surrendered to Tihar Jail authorities on June 2.

In an earlier hearing, on June 5, the court dismissed Kejriwal’s application seeking interim bail in the case on medical grounds. Additional Sessions Judge Mukesh Kumar, however, directed jail authorities to take care of Kejriwal’s medical needs while in judicial custody. Judge Kumar extended Kejriwal’s judicial custody till June 19, which is when his bail plea was heard again.