Arvind Kejriwal gets interim bail: Celebrations unfolded outside the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office in the national capital on Friday after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was released from Tihar jail. Earlier today, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the liquor scam case. Joyful supporters gathered and chanted slogans in support of Kejriwal and the AAP.
His wife Sunita Kejriwal, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and a huge crowd of supporters reached Tihar jail and recieved him.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said Kejriwal is being granted interim bail till June a and he will have to surrender and go back to jail on June 2. The bench refused the request of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, that the interim bail be granted till June 5 -- a day after the votes are counted on June 4.
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What does Kejriwal's bail mean to AAP
With the Supreme Court's decision, Kejriwal will now be able to step out of Tihar Jail and actively engage in the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections. The Delhi Chief Minister had approached the SC seeking interim bail in view of the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections. As the electoral battle intensifies, Kejriwal's bail enables him to bolster the campaigning efforts of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its allies in the opposition camp. The upcoming polling in the national capital, scheduled for the sixth phase of general elections on May 25, holds immense significance, with AAP contesting 4 seats while the Congress vies for 3 seats.
Earlier on Tuesday, the bench had hinted at granting interim bail to Kejriwal to enable him to campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, it had also said that if interim bail were granted, Kejriwal would not be allowed to discharge any official duties as Chief Minister. The Enforcement Directorate had opposed his bail in the top court, which was hearing arguments on interim bail to Kejriwal. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, also representing ED, told the bench at an earlier hearing that there can't be any deviation only because Kejriwal is Chief Minister and asked if the Supreme Court is carving out exceptions for politicians.
Delhi excise policy scam case
It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP. The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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