The Delhi High Court has put on hold another court's order to grant bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case related to an alleged excise scam, extending his detention. Kejriwal would have been released from Tihar jail, following his arrest by the ED on March 21, but for the high court intervening at the request of the anti-money laundering agency.
"Till pronouncement of order, operation of the impugned order shall remain stayed," a vacation bench headed by Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain said and sought written submissions by the parties by June 24 and reserved the verdict for 2-3 days to go through all records. The court has also issued a notice to Kejriwal, seeking his response by July 10 to the ED's challenge against the trial court's bail order, which was issued late Thursday. The court said it would keep the stay order in abeyance till pronouncement of the order on ED's plea against the bail granted to AAP leaders.
The ASG for the ED opposed the bail vehemently, mentioning bias and incompleteness in the trial court's order, overlooking essential facts. Senior advocates appearing for Kejriwal replied that such actions on the part of the ED undermined constitutional safeguards and maintained the trial was detailed and fair.
The Lower Court had granted bail to Kejriwal, ruling on June 20, on the basis that his guilt was not established beyond reasonable doubt and that the ED had utterly failed to bring on record any direct evidence to connect Kejriwal with the commission of the alleged offence of money laundering connected with the excise policy being investigated by CBI and ED for irregularity and favouritism to licence holders.
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