IN PHOTOS: SC grants Arvind Kejriwal interim bail for campaigning in Lok Sabha Elections 2024

The Supreme Court provided temporary relief to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by granting him interim bail until June 1, allowing him to continue his participation in the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Pics/ Agencies

Updated On: 2024-05-10 02:54 PM IST

Compiled by : Sanjana Deshpande

The Supreme Court provided temporary relief to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by granting him interim bail until June 1.

Kejriwal, who faced arrest in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam, has been instructed by the court to surrender and return to custody on June 2, following the conclusion of the election campaign.

The bench, comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, rejected the request to extend the interim bail until June 5, setting June 1 as the deadline considering the election schedule.

The Enforcement Directorate opposed the granting of interim bail to Kejriwal, arguing against the precedence of providing such relief for election campaigning purposes.

The court justified its decision by noting that the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) was filed in August 2022, while Kejriwal was arrested in March 2024, indicating a lapse in timely action by the authorities.

The bench imposed conditions on Kejriwal's bail, similar to those applied to AAP leader Sanjay Singh, prohibiting him from making any statements regarding the excise policy case during the campaign period.

The apex court is currently hearing Kejriwal's plea challenging the Delhi High Court's verdict that upheld his arrest in connection with the alleged corruption and money laundering related to the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22.

While the court has granted interim bail for campaign purposes, the arguments on Kejriwal's plea against the arrest will resume next week. The court aims to deliver its judgement on the matter before the commencement of summer vacations on May 20.

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