Money laundering case: HC to hear ED petition against Kejriwal’s bail today

The Delhi High Court is set to hear the Enforcement Directorate’s petition challenging the bail granted to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy-linked money laundering case on Monday.

The plea is listed before Justice Ravinder Dudeja. The High Court had earlier adjourned the hearing after the ED’s counsel sought more time. Kejriwal was granted bail by a trial court on June 20, 2024, upon furnishing a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh.

However, the Delhi HC had stayed the bail order after the ED challenged it. Kejriwal’s counsel had argued that the bail should be upheld as all other accused in the case have already been granted bail.

On July 12 last year, the Supreme Court had granted Kejriwal interim bail in the case while referring to a larger bench three legal questions regarding the necessity of arrests under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21, 2024, followed by another arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 26 in connection with corruption allegations related to the Delhi excise policy.

The 2021 excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after L-G VK Saxena ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption in its formulation and execution.

The CBI and the ED have alleged that significant irregularities were committed while modifying the policy, with undue favours being extended to liquor licence holders.