Supreme Court to deliberate on Arvind Kejriwal’s interim bail today

PTC News Desk: Today, the Supreme Court is set to deliberate on the possibility of granting interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been in judicial custody at Tihar jail since March 21. Kejriwal’s confinement is in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-defunct Delhi excise policy.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta will commence proceedings by considering a plea from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader. The Supreme Court had previously hinted at the prospect of granting interim bail to Kejriwal, especially in light of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Recognizing the potentially protracted legal proceedings, the court expressed a willingness to entertain arguments from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding interim relief for Kejriwal before the upcoming Delhi elections slated for May 25.

During the last hearing, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, voiced opposition to Kejriwal’s bail, citing remarks made by AAP leader Sanjay Singh subsequent to his release on bail in a related case.

“We are not commenting on it either way. We are just saying we will hear on interim bail and not saying we will grant interim bail. We may or may not grant interim bail,” the Supreme Court had clarified.

The bench also raised concerns about Kejriwal’s official responsibilities, particularly his ability to sign official documents amidst his ongoing legal entanglement.

Adding fuel to the fire, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Kejriwal, alleging political funding from the banned group ‘Sikhs for Justice.’ AAP leaders swiftly denounced the LG’s recommendation as yet another political maneuver orchestrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to besmirch Kejriwal’s reputation.