NEW DELHI, Jan 17: The Delhi High Court has scheduled a hearing for March 21 regarding the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) appeal against the bail granted to former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case associated with the excise policy.
Justice Vikas Mahajan postponed Friday’s hearing at the request of the ED’s counsel.
Kejriwal’s attorney objected to the adjournment, citing the ED’s repeated requests for delays over the past months.
He urged the court to resolve the matter promptly, noting that other defendants in the case have already been granted bail.
“There is an upcoming election. Why should uncertainty linger over him? If bail has been granted to all 15 accused, what justifies the delay for him?” asked Kejriwal’s attorney.
In response, the ED’s counsel argued that no harm was done to Kejriwal due to these delays, as he is currently on interim bail provided by the Supreme Court.
“I will schedule it for hearing… No harm has come to him. Next hearing set for March 21,” said Justice Mahajan.
On July 12, 2024, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in this case while referring three critical questions regarding the “need and necessity of arrest” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to a larger bench.
Earlier, on June 20, 2024, a trial court had granted him bail on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh, but this was later stayed by the high court following the ED’s appeal.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 and by the CBI on June 26, 2024, in connection to the money laundering and corruption cases, respectively.
The 2021 excise policy was repealed in 2022 after the Delhi Lieutenant Governor ordered a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities and corruption in its formulation and execution.
The CBI and ED claim that irregularities occurred during the amendment of the excise policy, leading to undue advantages for license holders. (PTI)
