In a significant development and boost for the Aam Aadmi Party and the opposition INDIA grouping amid the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged excise policy scam. The apex court allowed interim bail to Kejriwal till June 1 and denied his counsel's request for bail till June 5.
June 1 is when the last phase of Lok Sabha elections will be held and the counting of votes will be taken up on June 4. Votes in Delhi where the AAP is in power will be cast on May 25. Arvind Kejriwal Bail News LIVE Updates
While granting bail to the Delhi Chief Minister who was arrested in the Delhi excise policy case in March, the Supreme Court said Kejriwal has to surrender and go back to jail on June 2.
While the Enforcement Directorate (ED) which arrested Kejriwal said interim bail to the AAP chief on ground of electioneering should be denied as there was no such precedent available, the Supreme Court said granting interim bail for 21 days to the politician will not make much of a difference.
The Supreme Court also imposed certain conditions on Arvind Kejriwal while granting him bail. These include:
1. Kejriwal shall not visit the chief minister's office and the Delhi Secretariat during the period of interim bail
2. He shall also refrain from commenting on his role in the money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam
3. The AAP leader will also not interact with any witnesses or have access to official files connected with the said case
Kejriwal Not A Threat To Society
Meanwhile, while issuing the order on interim bail, the apex court significantly noted that Kejriwal does not have any criminal antecedents and he should not be seen as a threat to the society. Serious accusations have been levelled against him but the AAP leader has not been convicted yet, the SC added.
The apex court, however, also stressed that grant of interim bail to Kejriwal should not be seen as an expression of opinion on merits of the case against him.
Holistic and libertarian view is justified in view of the Lok Sabha elections; interim bail is granted in facts of each case and Kejriwal is not an exception, the Supreme Court stated.
While allowing interim bail, the court said the Delhi CM will have to furnish bail bonds of Rs 50,000 with one surety of
like amount for release from the Tihar jail.
