In a significant development, a Delhi court granted bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday in the ongoing money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22. The bail order was issued by Vacation Judge Nyay Bindu following hearings involving both Kejriwal and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Kejriwal, arrested by the ED on March 21, faced allegations of being part of a conspiracy to deliberately introduce loopholes in the excise policy to benefit specific liquor sellers. The ED claimed that kickbacks from these liquor sellers were channeled into funding the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) electoral campaign in Goa, holding Kejriwal, as the National Convenor of the party, accountable for the offence of money laundering.
The Delhi Chief Minister has vehemently denied these allegations, accusing the ED of running an extortion racket.
The case has also implicated other prominent AAP leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh. While Singh is currently out on bail, Sisodia remains in custody.
Earlier in May, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail to facilitate his campaign efforts for the Lok Sabha elections. He returned to jail on June 2 after the expiry of the interim bail period.
This case continues to unfold as the Delhi court’s decision to grant bail to Kejriwal marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal proceedings.