Delhi Liquor Policy Case: Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 (File).
New Delhi: The suspense about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s bail outcome will finally end this morning. The Supreme Court is going to announce its decision on Mr. Kejriwal’s plea following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) back in June, concerning the alleged liquor excise policy scam.
Supreme Court’s Latest Verdict on Kejriwal
If the verdict favors him, Mr. Kejriwal will be free nearly six months after his initial arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and two months after being granted bail for that arrest.
Despite getting bail on July 12, Mr. Kejriwal remained in custody because the CBI had arrested him just a few weeks before, related to the same case. His lawyer, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, criticized this second arrest as an “insurance” move designed to keep the AAP leader behind bars and keep his party on edge before February’s Delhi election.
Last week, during the final hearing, Singhvi emphasized that his client had already met the ‘triple test’ legal principle for bail since the same Supreme Court had granted him bail in the ED case.
The CBI claims to have substantial evidence against Mr. Kejriwal, mainly based on testimony from ‘approvers’ – former accused who have been pardoned or will receive lesser penalties for testifying against Mr. Kejriwal.
The agency, like the ED, believes Mr. Kejriwal had a significant role in formulating and approving the controversial liquor excise policy of November 2021, which was later withdrawn in July 2022.
The court, however, expressed concerns over the reliance on ‘approvers’ for building the case. In a related matter involving Telangana politician K Kavitha, another accused in the same case, the court pointed out that justice should be fair, questioning why those incriminating themselves are made witnesses.
After Singh, Sisodia, Kavitha, Next Kejriwal?
If granted bail, Mr. Kejriwal would become the fifth and possibly the most notable opposition leader to be released in this case. The three notable releases before him are his former deputy Manish Sisodia, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and K Kavitha. Another AAP leader, Durgesh Pathak, was also released.
These releases by the Supreme Court have come with assertions that authorities cannot hold accused persons in jail indefinitely and without trial. For instance, during Mr. Sisodia’s release last month, the court flagged a “travesty of justice” and highlighted the violation of an individual’s right to liberty.
In April, while releasing Mr. Singh, the Supreme Court questioned why the ED had kept him in jail for six months without trial and also noted that no part of the alleged Rs 2 crore bribe had been recovered.
Last month, while Ms. Kavitha was released, the Supreme Court once again observed that she could not remain jailed if a trial was unlikely in the near future.
Delhi Liquor Policy Case Explained
The Delhi liquor excise policy case revolves around allegations that Mr. Kejriwal and AAP received Rs 100 crore in kickbacks, including significant funds from a ‘South group’ led by K Kavitha. These funds were reportedly used to finance AAP’s election campaigns, including the 2022 Goa Assembly election.
Arvind Kejriwal, AAP, and BRS leader K Kavitha have all denied the allegations. They accuse the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of using federal agencies like the ED and CBI to conduct a campaign against opposition leaders and critics, particularly ahead of elections.
Stay tuned for the Supreme Court’s decision as India Press Live brings you the latest updates on this significant matter.
