Excise Policy Case
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday has scheduled a hearing for January 17, 2025, to consider the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) appeal against the bail granted to Arvind Kejriwal, the former Chief Minister of Delhi, in the excise policy-related money laundering case from 2021-22.
The ED’s counsel requested a delay in the hearing due to the unavailability of Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju. This request was opposed by senior advocate Vikram Chaudhary, representing Kejriwal, who emphasized the urgency of resolving the matter. Chaudhary urged the court to allow the trial court’s bail order to remain in effect and to lift the stay imposed on it, stating, “You can’t have a sword hanging over my head.”
The ED’s counsel responded by reminding the court that Kejriwal is currently out on bail following an interim order from the Supreme Court. On July 12, 2023, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail and referred significant questions regarding the “need and necessity of arrest” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to a larger bench for further examination.
Kejriwal was granted bail by a trial court on June 20, 2023, on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. However, the Delhi High Court stayed this order shortly after. Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21, and by the CBI on June 26, in connection with alleged money laundering and corruption related to the excise policy.
The excise policy, which was scrapped in 2022, remains central to the investigations. The Delhi Lieutenant Governor had ordered a CBI inquiry into the alleged corruption and irregularities in the policy’s creation and implementation. Both the CBI and the ED claim that the policy’s amendments were made to benefit certain license holders.
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