Delhi HC puts Arvind Kejriwal’s bail order on hold until it hears ED’s challenge
In a massive setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Delhi High Court stayed the release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on bail in an excise policy case on Friday.
The court has scheduled the matter for a hearing later on Friday.
This comes after a Delhi court granted bail to the Chief Minister on Thursday in connection with a money laundering case related to the now-scrapped excise policy.
On Friday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had moved High Court challenging the aforementioned trial court’s bail order.
The plea was urgently mentioned before a Vacation Bench comprising Justices Sudhir Kumar Jain and Ravinder Dudeja by Additional Solicitor General (ASG), S V Raju, on behalf of the ED.
“I am moving for an urgent stay. The order was pronounced yesterday at 8. The order is not uploaded. We were not given a clear opportunity to oppose bail,” ASG Raju argued.
ASG Raju further said that his prayer for a stay on the bail order wasn’t even considered.
“I am demanding that the order be stayed and the matter be heard as soon as possible. We were denied the full opportunity to argue the case. I am making allegations with full seriousness,” he stated.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing CM Kejriwal, opposed the stay request, citing legal precedents.
“There are ten Supreme Court judgments that cancellation of bail is radically different from grant of bail,” Singhvi contended.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the High Court directed that the bail order should not be enforced until the matter is heard in full.
“The bail order will not be given effect. We have not passed the final order. You may argue for as much as you can,” the Bench stated, effectively halting CM Kejriwal’s release.
Before the trial court on Thursday, the ED had sought a 48-hour deferral in signing the bail bond following the pronouncement of the order.
However, the trial court firmly denied the ED’s plea for a stay on the order.
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