Delhi excise policy case: In a major relief to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Supreme Court today (September 13) granted him bail in the corruption case linked to the liquor policy case. Apart from allowing Kejriwal’s bail plea, Justice Surya Kant, heading a two-judge bench dismissed his distinct plea challenging the legality of arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged liquor scam.
The other judge, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, authored a separate opinion raising serious questions on the timings of arrest by the CBI and held the belated arrest by the central agency to be unjustified.
Timeline of Delhi excise policy case and Kejriwal's arrest
November 2021: The Delhi government announced the new excise policy.
July 2022: Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena recommends a CBI probe into alleged irregularities with the related excise policy.
August 2022: Cases registered by both ED and CBI against Arvind Kejriwal.
September 2022: Delhi government decided to scrap the excise policy.
October 30, 2023: ED sends summons to Delhi CM in the related case. The ED issues its first summons to Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the liquor policy scam.
November 2, 2023: Kejriwal skips summons and attends a political rally in Madhya Pradesh
Kejriwal skips the first summons on November 2, travelling to Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, for a political rally.
December 21, 2023 and January 3, 2024: Two more summons issued to Kejriwal for questioning.
Kejriwal skips the second summons, labelling it as illegal and politically motivated.
January 18, 2024 and February 2, 2024: Two more summons sent to Delhi CM. He skips both.
Kejriwal misses the third summons, alleging a conspiracy by the Central government. The ED issues a fourth summons for January 18. Kejriwal responds to the summons, questioning why he is not an accused in the case.
February 3, 2024: ED approaches court against Delhi CM for avoiding summonses.
February 7, 2024: Court issues summons to Kejriwal.
February 2024: ED issues summons to Delhi CM on February 19, February 26 and March 4. Kejriwal continues to skip summons for seventh time
Kejriwal skips the fifth summons, and the ED moves court, alleging non-compliance. Delhi court grants Kejriwal exemption from personal appearance for that day. Kejriwal skips the seventh summons, with AAP claiming the summons was illegal and unanswered.
March 2024: Arvind Kejriwal arrest
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in the money laundering case linked to the excise policy, becoming the first serving Chief Minister to be arrested.
This comes after months of skipping summons by the investigation agency- nine in total-and calling them illegal. Kejriwal gets bail on two complaints filed against him by ED for skipping summons. He moves Delhi High Court against summons. The court refuses to grant him protection, after which he moves top court.
April 2024: Delhi Court dismisses Kejriwal’s plea against arrest. He moves the Supreme Court challenging order. In the same month ED tells Supreme Court that Kejriwal was guilty of money laundering.
May 2024: Ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail till June 1. In the run-up to the general elections, SC grants Kejriwal bail until June 1, which was the seventh and last phase of voting in the Lok Sabha polls, with certain conditions.
He was asked to surrender again. The CM surrendered on the given date.
June 2024: Kejriwal surrendered at Tihar Jail on June 2.
Delhi Court reserves order till June 5 on Kejriwal’s interim bail plea. It denied interim bail to Delhi CM. Same months, the court granted him regular bail. However, ED moves Delhi High Court against bail. The CBI later arrested him on June 26 in connection with the corruption case.
July 2024: SC grants Kejriwal interim bail in ED case
The Supreme Court grants him interim bail, raising questions on the legality and necessity of his arrest in March by the ED in the Delhi excise policy case. Kejriwal continues to remain in custody since he is facing arrest in the CBI case in the same excise policy case.
The Delhi High Court defers the hearing on the ED's plea to cancel Kejriwal's bail to July 15. The Delhi High Court schedules the ED's plea challenging Kejriwal’s bail for August 7.
August 2024: Delhi HC upholds CBI’s decision on arrest
The Delhi High Court upholds the CBI’s decision to arrest Kejriwal, and directs him to approach the trial court for bail.
Kejriwal moves SC
Kejriwal challenges the Delhi HC’s order at the Supreme Court. The court has granted the CBI one week to file a counter-affidavit and scheduled the matter for a hearing on September 5.
September 2024: SC reserves order on bail plea
The Supreme Court reserves its decision on the bail plea of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his challenge to his arrest by the CBI under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.
On September 6, the Supreme Court asked whether there was any restriction on Arvind Kejriwal performing his official duties from jail while hearing a plea related to a delay in deciding the remission of a convict.
September 13, 2024: Arvind Kejriwal granted bail by SC
The AAP hailed the Supreme Court decision granting bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the corruption case linked to the excise policy case as 'victory of truth' (satya ki jeet). The apex court granted bail to Kejriwal in the excise policy case by the CBI paving way for his release.
Justice Kant, in his judgement, said Kejriwal is granted bail in the CBI case with a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh. He is also directed to not make any public comments on the case.
