New Delhi: A Delhi Court on Thursday granted bail to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the Delhi Excise policy case. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in March this year under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for his alleged role in the Delhi excise policy case.
The federal agency had last month filed a chargesheet against Kejriwal accusing him of being the “kingpin” in the case. The ED has also chargesheeted the AAP as a co-accused in the case.
Vacation Judge Niyay Bindu passed the order today after hearing contentions of ED and Kejriwal over two days. After the pronouncement of the order this evening, the ED requested whether the signing of the bail bond could be deferred by 48 hours so that the order may be challenged before the appellate court. However, the judge turned down ED’s request. The bail bond is to be produced before the duty judge tomorrow, the court added. The agency has alleged that Kejriwal demanded ₹100 crore in kickbacks to benefit certain liquor wholesalers in the excise policy. It further alleged that the AAP utilised the bribes in the 2022 Goa assembly elections.
Soon after Kejriwal got bail, senior AAP leader Atishi in a post on social media platform X said, ‘Satyamev Jayate” (truth alone triumphs).
In a post on X, the AAP said, “Truth can be troubled, not defeated. Rejecting all the objections raised by BJP’s ED, the Honorable Court has granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister @ArvindKejriwal.”
