The Delhi High Court has set a hearing for January 17, 2025, to consider the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) appeal against the bail granted to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy-linked money laundering case of 2021-22.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the ED’s counsel requested a delay, citing the unavailability of Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju. This request was opposed by senior advocate Vikram Chaudhary, representing Kejriwal, who argued that the matter was urgent. He urged the court to either have the ED withdraw its appeal or lift the stay on the trial court’s bail order. “You can’t keep a sword hanging over my head,” Chaudhary emphasized.
The ED’s counsel countered, noting that Kejriwal had already been granted bail by the Supreme Court on July 12, 2023. The top court had provided interim bail to Kejriwal and referred key issues regarding the “need and necessity of arrest” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to a larger bench.
Earlier, Kejriwal was granted bail by a trial court on June 20, 2023, after submitting a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh, but this decision was later stayed by the Delhi High Court. Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21, 2023, and by the CBI on June 26, 2023, in connection with money laundering and corruption investigations.
The controversy surrounds the excise policy that was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi Lieutenant Governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its formulation and implementation. Both the CBI and ED claim that the policy’s modifications involved undue benefits for certain license holders.
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