Arvind Kejriwal bail: The Rouse Avenue court today (June 20) granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case related to the excise policy scam matter in the national capital. Vacation judge Niyay Bindu granted bail to Kejriwal on furnishing bail bond of Rs 1 lakh.
The court refused the request of ED to postpone the process of filing a bail bond for 48 hours.
ED to approach Delhi High Court on June 21
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will tomorrow (June 21) challenge Arvind Kejriwal's bail order from the Rouse Avenue Court in the Delhi High Court. ED Director Rahul Navin said that the decision of the duty magistrate in the lower court is surprising.
However, the grant of regular bail to the AAP national convenor will give his Aam Aadmi Party and its allies a stick to beat the Modi government with as, according to Section 45 of the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), bail can be granted only if the judge is prima facie satisfied that the accused has not committed the offence and that he is unlikely to commit any offence while on bail.
A detailed order, however, is awaited. Kejriwal's lawyers are likely to submit the bail bond before the court tomorrow, after which he would be released from Tihar jail.
What will happen on June 21?
- The written order of granting bail will be uploaded on the website.
- The bail bond will be filled in front of the duty judge. After that, the lower court's order will go to Tihar Jail and then the release of Arvind Kejriwal will be ensured.
- It is highly expected that ED will challenge this order in the Delhi High Court. Along with filing an application to cancel the bail of Delhi CM Kejriwal, ED will demand an early hearing in the liquor scam case.
When Arvind Kejriwal was arrested?
Delhi CM Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled excise policy 2021-22. The Delhi Chief Minister had been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10 in view of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 and was told to surrender on June 2. The trial court had on June 5 denied him interim bail which he sought citing several ailments.
He was asked not to visit the Office of the Chief Minister and the Delhi Secretariat. The Delhi High Court had earlier dismissed his plea for release from jail and rejected his argument of political vendetta amid the Lok Sabha elections.
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