The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): The Supreme Court on Thursday addressed the political discourse surrounding the interim bail granted to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asserting that no special exception was made. The court welcomed critical analysis of its judgement, emphasizing that its decision was based on justified grounds.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta refrained from considering claims by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and counterclaims by Kejriwal’s advocates regarding statements about the interim bail granted to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor.
“We have not made any exception for anybody. We said in our order what we felt was justified,” the bench stated.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, objected to Kejriwal’s speeches at poll rallies, where he allegedly suggested that a vote for AAP would prevent him from returning to prison on June 2. The bench responded, “It is his assumption, we cannot say anything.” The court reiterated that its order clearly specified when Kejriwal must surrender, emphasizing that the rule of law would be governed by this order.
Mehta argued that Kejriwal had violated the bail conditions, suggesting his statements were a slap on the institution. Justice Khanna clarified that the court’s order mandated Kejriwal’s surrender on June 2, adding, “We have not said anything in the order that he cannot speak about the case.”
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, referred to an interview by an unnamed person, implicitly Home Minister Amit Shah, who suggested Kejriwal received special treatment. The bench declined to consider this claim.
Singhvi denied that Kejriwal had made any statement about needing votes to avoid returning to jail, offering to submit an affidavit to that effect.
The Supreme Court was hearing Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the ED in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam. On May 10, the court granted Kejriwal interim bail until June 1, directing him to surrender on June 2. The court also barred him from visiting his office or the Delhi secretariat and signing official files unless necessary for obtaining the lieutenant governor’s approval.
The case involves alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s 2021-22 excise policy, which has since been scrapped.