SC TO DECIDE ON KEJRIWAL'S INTERIM BAIL TODAY
As Delhi gears up to vote on May 25, the Supreme Court is set to decide on Tuesday whether to grant interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. This decision comes as the Court hears his petition challenging his arrest in a money laundering case associated with the excise policy amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Whether Kejriwal, who has been in custody throughout the Lok Sabha elections, will be able to campaign in the remaining phases will depend on the outcome of the proceedings.
On May 3, the apex court mentioned that it might think about giving him a temporary release due to the current Lok Sabha elections.
A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta made the oral observation after observing that the arguments on Kejriwal's plea, challenging his arrest in the Delhi excise scandal, may take time to conclude. The bench enquired about the date of polling in Delhi.
"This may take time. But if the case takes time, we may consider the question of interim bail due to elections," Justice Khanna remarked orally. However he made it clear, repeatedly that the bench has not decided anything in this regard and was merely posing a query to the ED counsel to be answered on Tuesday.
"Please take instructions. We are not saying anything. We may or may not grant (interim bail). We don't want either side to be taken by surprise," justice Khanna added. The bench also enquired that "because of the position" Kejriwal holds, should he be signing official files.
Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar
The apex court is currently hearing Kejriwal's appeal challenging his arrest by the ED. The Delhi CM is presently held in Tihar Jail following his arrest on March 21.
The highest court had sent a notification to the Enforcement Directorate on April 15 and requested its reply to Kejriwal's appeal against his arrest.
On April 9, the Delhi High Court had upheld Kejriwal's arrest, saying there was no illegality and the ED was left with "little option' after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation.
The case is about suspected corruption and money laundering in the development and implementation of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which has now been canceled.
NIA probe against Kejriwal?
Meanwhile, Delhi's Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has proposed an NIA investigation against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over allegations of receiving political funding from the banned terrorist organization 'Sikhs for Justice'.
According to a letter sent to the Union Home Secretary by the Lieutenant Governor's secretariat, Saxena received a complaint alleging that the AAP led by Kejriwal had received USD 16 million in funding from extremist Khalistani groups to secure the release of Devendra Pal Bhullar.
Bhullar, currently incarcerated in Amritsar Central Jail, was convicted in connection with a bomb blast in Delhi in 1993 that resulted in the deaths of nine individuals.