Arvind Kejriwal Granted Bail By Supreme Court In Liquor Policy Scam Case

The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal until June 1 in liquor policy scam case. The apex court had rejected Kejriwal's request of interim bail until July and asked him to surrender on June 2.

The Supreme Court order will now be sent to trial court to secure the release order, which will be then be sent to Delhi's Tihar Jail. The daily release orders to the prison administration are disposed of in about an hour. In such a situation, the Delhi chief minister can be released today itself.

In the course of hearings that have been taking place before the top court, it has shown its willingness to grant interim bail to Kejriwal because elections are right around the corner.

Last month, the Delhi High Court declined to order the release of the Chief Minister in his alleged connection with the liquor policy scam, stating that it did not deem the arrest to be unlawful, or illegal. This prompted Kejriwal to approach the top court for relief.

The Enforcement Directorate detained the AAP convener on March 21 in connection with the case. Prior to his arrest, Kejriwal had declined the central probe agency's summons on multiple occasions.

The case pertains to accusations of corruption and money laundering during the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government's excise policy in 2021–2022, which was later scrapped.

The case led to the arrest of Manish Sisodia, the former deputy chief minister of Delhi, in February last year. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also faced arrest in October of that year.

Last month, BRS leader K. Kavitha was arrested in the case. Following Kavitha's arrest, the ED released a press note calling Kejriwal a conspirator in the alleged liquor policy scam.