Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, was detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case involving the now-canceled Delhi Excise policy of 2021–2022. A Delhi court granted Arvind Kejriwal bail on June 20.
The leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is expected to be released from custody tomorrow since the jail has to get the bail order first.
His attorney informed the Delhi court that the statements made by people who became supporters of the case formed the basis of the ED’s whole case against the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) money laundering case suffered a setback with Judge Niyay Bindu’s judgment on vacation on Rouse Avenue Court. This might change the course of the continuing judicial struggle.
Although much-needed, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s bail was granted during a turbulent period for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Kejriwal has a lot of problems to deal with if he leaves Tihar Jail; sources in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stated the agency will file a request to stay the Rouse Avenue Court ruling on Friday.
Image Source: The Hindu
During the Thursday evening verdict announcement, the court stated that “the accused was granted bail on a bond of ₹1 lakh,” with the detailed judgment scheduled for release on Friday morning.
The judge refused the ED’s request to delay the bail bond issuance by 48 hours, allowing the agency time to appeal the ruling in a higher court. This means that Kejriwal’s attorney can apply for a bail bond before the relevant judge on Friday. The judge elaborated, stating that “There is no stay on the bail grant.”
Without a doubt, the agency is anticipated to go to the Delhi High Court on Friday in order to request a vacation bench to provide a stay on the bail ruling. People with knowledge of the situation claim that Kejriwal’s legal team has also submitted a caveat to the high court, making sure that no decision is made without first hearing from them.
As of right now, Kejriwal could be released from prison on Friday.
“Truth alone prevails when Satyamev Jayate is followed,” Delhi minister Atishi wrote on X.
This was an important choice for Kejriwal, who came to power ten years ago on the strength of his campaign as an anti-corruption crusader, upending the deeply ingrained political institutions in the Capital before becoming caught up in graft allegations and putting his party in grave danger.
With the exception of a 21-day temporary release in May so that he may campaign for the Lok Sabha election, Kejriwal has been detained since his arrest by the ED on March 21. Days after the general elections produced unexpectedly good results for the opposition, the AAP only managed to win three seats in Punjab, the state where it had surged to power two years prior, and no seats in Delhi.
The granting of bail is a setback for the ED, as it indicates that Kejriwal might effectively refute the allegations and contest the existence of sufficient initial evidence and grounds for guilt, as mandated by Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This provision necessitates that the trial court be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe the accused is innocent and unlikely to commit any offense while on bail.
Image Source: HindustanTimes
The issuance of the bail comes at a crucial time since the Supreme Court has postponed making a decision on Kejriwal’s appeal against his ED detention.
Priyanka Kakkar, national spokeswoman for the AAP, called the outcome “historic.”
“This case is wholly fraudulent; the BJP office wrote the entire document.” We are really appreciative of the court for rendering a landmark decision. In a PMLA case, regular bail is equivalent to an acquittal, according to Kakkar.
According to the BJP, his bail was only a standard procedure.
The opposition planned for Kejriwal’s detention throughout the general election campaign, and several leaders applauded his bail.
In addition, the AAP’s detention was seen as a wake-up call for the party, which is running in the eight-month assembly elections for a third straight term in Delhi. Kejriwal, the party’s tallest leader and face, will help the campaign if he is released.
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