Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court is poised to deliver its verdict today on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. The decision, awaited with keen interest, will be pronounced by a bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, who reserved their judgment on May 17.
Arvind Kejriwal, who is also the chief of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was arrested on March 21 by the ED in connection with the money laundering case. He subsequently challenged the April 9 order of the Delhi High Court, which upheld his arrest.
The High Court had ruled that Kejriwal’s arrest was legal and justified, noting that the central probe agency had no other choice after he repeatedly ignored summonses and refused to participate in the investigation.
In response to Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest, the Supreme Court sought a response from the central probe agency on April 15.
Earlier, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal a 21-day interim bail on May 10, allowing him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. He was instructed to surrender on June 2, a day after the final phase of the seven-phased elections concluded.
Subsequently, a trial court in Delhi granted Kejriwal bail on June 20. However, the ED contested the trial court’s decision, arguing that the bail order was “perverse,” “one-sided,” and based on irrelevant facts. The Delhi High Court imposed an interim stay on the bail order on June 21 and issued a detailed order on June 25, staying the trial court’s decision.
Kejriwal faced further legal troubles when he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) five days later in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.
The central probe agencies allege that irregularities were committed in the modification of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, with undue favours extended to licence holders.
The Delhi government introduced a new policy for liquor sellers in November 2021, which allowed private parties to apply for licenses to run stores and ceased government-operated liquor outlets. The policy aimed to curb black marketing, increase government revenue, and benefit consumers.
However, the Delhi government later scrapped the new liquor policy and reverted to the old system.
As the Supreme Court prepares to deliver its verdict, the case continues to be a significant legal and political issue, with implications for governance and regulatory policies in the national capital.
