New Delhi: SC grants interim bail to CM Arvind Kejriwal till June 1

GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court has temporarily released Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on bail until June 1 in a case related to the excise policy. The court will issue a detailed order on this matter soon.

The Enforcement Directorate had objected to granting bail to Kejriwal, arguing that giving him special treatment would go against the principles of the rule of law and equality, creating two classes of people in the country: ordinary citizens who must follow the law, and politicians who can seek exemptions from it.

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in connection with the excise policy case.

The ED argued that the right to campaign for an election is not a fundamental, constitutional, or legal right. They also noted that, to their knowledge, no political leader has been granted interim bail for campaigning, especially if they are not the contesting candidate.

After the Enforcement Directorate submitted its affidavit, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) issued a press release stating that the legal team of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, strongly objected to the affidavit filed by the Enforcement Directorate opposing interim bail in the Supreme Court.

Further, the ED contended that around 123 elections have taken place in the last five years and if interim bail is to be granted for campaigning, no politician can be arrested or sent to judicial custody since elections are all year-round phenomena.

On Wednesday, a bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna said that it will deliver its decision on the question of granting interim bail to Kejriwal on May 10.

Kejriwal had moved the apex court against the Delhi High Court's April 10 judgment, which dismissed his plea challenging the ED arrest.

Meanwhile, Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court has extended Kejriwal's judicial custody till May 20 on the expiry of his previously granted 14-day judicial remand.

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