New Delhi, September 13 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal got bail from the Supreme Court on Friday in the alleged liquor scam. From common workers to senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), everyone is expressing happiness over the court’s decision. The party has called it a ‘victory of truth’. Since Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) about six months ago, the case has been quite turbulent from a legal and political point of view.
When Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ignored the ED notice nine times in the money laundering case related to the liquor scam, he was arrested on March 21 this year and sent behind bars.
During this period, Kejriwal was questioned and many facts came to light. But in the meantime, when the Lok Sabha elections were announced in the country, the Aam Aadmi Party, which was trying to expand its base in Indian politics, realized the importance of its leader Kejriwal.
AAP felt that if Kejriwal campaigned, the party would benefit in the elections. Keeping this in mind, they approached the Supreme Court for bail. The apex court granted him bail from May 10 to June 1 for the Lok Sabha elections. The Supreme Court said that Kejriwal is not a person of criminal tendency, nor does he have any criminal record, so he is not a threat to society.
On June 2, after the expiry of his bail period, Kejriwal went back to Tihar Jail. After this, on June 26, after ED, CBI also tightened its grip on him. CBI arrested him in this case on June 26. Meanwhile, he was already in ED custody.
After this, on July 12, the Supreme Court granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal in the ED case, but he did not get any relief in the CBI case, due to which he remained behind bars.
On August 5, the Delhi High Court upheld the CBI’s decision to arrest Kejriwal and directed him to approach the lower court for bail. Following this, Kejriwal challenged the High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court and sought bail.
The Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on the petition filed by the CBI challenging the arrest on September 5.
In its decision on September 13, a two-judge bench headed by Justice Suryakant granted bail to Kejriwal in the Delhi Excise Policy case. This bail has been granted in the CBI case. After this, the Aam Aadmi Party leaders are looking happy and excited.
–IANS
SHK/AKJ