On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court denied Arvind Kejriwal’s request to hear his bail plea in the Delhi excise policy money laundering case on an urgent basis.
The High Court had previously stayed the bail granted to Kejriwal by the trial court after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenged the trial court’s order.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna deferred the hearing after Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju stated that Kejriwal’s reply to the ED’s plea was served to them late the previous night, and the agency needed time to file a rejoinder affidavit.
Raju noted that the reply was served at 11 PM on Tuesday night, leaving them insufficient time to prepare and file a rejoinder.
Senior Advocate Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, contested the ED’s claim, asserting that the reply was sent to the Investigating Officer (IO) at 1 PM on Tuesday. Singhvi emphasized the urgency of the matter, given that the High Court had stayed Kejriwal’s bail. He offered to argue the case without relying on his counter affidavit.
However, Justice Krishna acknowledged that the ED is entitled to file a rejoinder to Kejriwal’s reply, and consequently, adjourned the case to July 15.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21, accused of being part of a conspiracy to exploit loopholes in the now-defunct Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22 to benefit certain liquor sellers. The ED alleges that kickbacks from liquor sellers were used to fund the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) electoral campaign in Goa, making Kejriwal, as the party’s National Convenor, both personally and vicariously liable for money laundering.
Kejriwal has denied the allegations, accusing the ED of operating an extortion racket. Special Judge (PC Act) Niyay Bindu of the Rouse Avenue Court granted him bail on June 20, citing the ED’s failure to provide direct evidence linking Kejriwal to the proceeds of the crime or proving that another accused, Vijay Nair, acted on Kejriwal’s behalf. The judge also noted bias in the ED’s actions against Kejriwal.
The ED immediately appealed to the Delhi High Court, which stayed the trial court’s order on June 25, resulting in Kejriwal remaining in jail.
Subsequently, Kejriwal was also arrested by the CBI on June 26 and remanded to CBI custody until June 29. His petitions seeking bail in the CBI case and challenging his arrest and remand are also pending before the High Court.
Other AAP leaders arrested in the same case include former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, and Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh. Singh is currently out on bail, while Sisodia remains in jail.
