Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 on allegations that he was part of a conspiracy to intentionally leave loopholes in the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22, to benefit certain liquor sellers.
ED has alleged that kickbacks received from liquor sellers were used to fund the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) electoral campaign in Goa and Kejriwal being the National Convenor of the party is both personally and vicariously liable for the offence of money laundering.
Kejriwal has denied the allegations and has accused the ED of running an extortion racket.
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 though Sisodia continue to languish in jail.
The trial court had on June 20 granted bail to Kejriwal and ordered his release subject to bail bond of ₹1 lakh.
Special Judge Niyay Bindu of the Rouse Avenue Court said that ED failed to give any direct evidence linking Kejriwal to the proceeds of the crime and has also failed to show that another accused, Vijay Nair, was acting on Kejriwal’s behalf.
The special judge had also said that the ED was acting with bias against Kejriwal.
The ED had immediately moved the Delhi High Court and secured an interim stay on the trial court order on June 21.
Kejriwal then moved the present plea before the Supreme Court challenging the same.
Meanwhile, the High Court passed a final stay order yesterday staying the bail.
Kejriwal, therefore, sought permission today to file a fresh plea challenging the final stay order passed yesterday.
The apex court allowed the same.
Source: Barandbench
