Delhi high court pauses Arvind Kejriwal's bail amid ED's ‘stay’ demand
A local court in Delhi granted regular bail to Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday.
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday moved the Delhi high court challenging regular bail granted to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case. Later, in a setback to the AAP chief, the court said the trial court's order will not take effect till it hears the matter.
ASG SV Raju, who appeared for the Enforcement Directorate today, urged the court to stay the trial court's order, claiming he had not been given an opportunity to oppose the bail.
"My argument was curtailed. In my reply, I was not allowed to argue fully and I was not given the opportunity to file written submission. My prayer for stay has not been considered. Let the order be stayed and the matter be heard," he said.
Lawyer Vikram Chaudhary, appearing for Kejriwal, slammed ED for the request.
"This is astonishing. This is extremely wrong, and it's not expected," he said.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the Delhi excise policy case. On Thursday, Delhi's Rouse Avenue court granted him regular bail.
Read more : Arvind Kejriwal bail: AAP says ‘Satyamev Jayate’ on court order, BJP hits back
Arvind Kejriwal had come out of the jail on 21-day interim bail on May 10 to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. He surrendered on June 2, as directed by the Supreme Court.
On Thursday, vacation judge Nyay Bindu granted bail to the Aam Aadmi Party chief on a bond of ₹1,00,000.
The Enforcement Directorate moved the high court after the local court refused to entertain its request to postpone the process of filing the bail bond for 48 hours.
In April, the Delhi high court had upheld his arrest. Arvind Kejriwal later moved the Supreme Court against his arrest.
Read more : Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal gets bail relief in ED excise policy case
Last month, Kejriwal applied for a regular bail in the local court after the Supreme Court's office refused to entertain his pleas seeking an extension of his interim bail. The court said he was free to approach the lower court for bail.
Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders are accused by the ED and CBI of accepting kickbacks for formulating the now-scrapped liquor policy in favour of a select group of businessmen and politicians. The ED has accused them of diverting a portion of the kickbacks towards their election campaign in Goa.
On Thursday, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, said the kickbacks were funneled through hawala channels. He accused Arvind Kejriwal of being in touch with these hawala operators.
The BJP defeated the AAP-Congress alliance in Delhi comprehensively earlier this month, winning all seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital.