Delhi’s Chief Minister Remains in Tihar Jail Due to Separate CBI Arrest
New Delhi 12th July 2024
The Supreme Court granted temporary bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday in the money laundering case involving the alleged excise policy fraud. The court agreed that Kejriwal “suffered incarceration of 90 days.”
Despite this decision, Kejriwal will remain in Tihar Jail as he faces another arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with a corruption case related to the alleged scheme. (Also read: NLD And BSP Team Up For The Haryana Assembly Elections)
A Supreme Court bench led by Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta referred Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to a larger bench. The court emphasized that mere interrogation does not justify detention.
The ED arrested Kejriwal on March 21, accusing him and other AAP officials of creating loopholes in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor legislation to benefit specific firms. The ED claimed to had evidence that funds from the alleged scam were transferred to the AAP via hawala routes and used in their Goa Assembly election campaign.
The Supreme Court previously granted Kejriwal temporary bail for two weeks in May, allowing him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. Kejriwal went back to Tihar Jail after being released on bail. (Also read: Mahua Moitra Charged by Delhi Police for ‘Offensive’ Social Media Post About NCW Chief Rekha Sharma)
On June 20, a Delhi trial court granted bail to Kejriwal and ordered his release. Special Judge Niyay Bindu found that the ED had failed to offer direct proof linking Kejriwal to the proceeds of crime. Despite this, Kejriwal remains in jail while awaiting further judicial hearings under different accusations brought by the CBI.
This matter is still unfolding, and the broader Supreme Court panel is likely to provide additional clarification on Kejriwal’s future.
