- By Talibuddin Khan
- Tue, 07 May 2024 03:34 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Arvind Kejriwal Bail News: The Supreme Court on Tuesday began hearing on granting an interim bail to the Delhi Chief Minister to enable him to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. However, the bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, which reserved its order on grant of interim bail earlier during the day, rose without pronouncing its verdict. Before rising for the day, the bench indicated that tomorrow the judges will be sitting in different combinations, and if the hearing on matters listed for Wednesday gets completed and the judges have time in hand, they would resume hearing Kejriwal's plea against his arrest by the ED.
"If not tomorrow, then we may take up the matter on Thursday. If not on Thursday, then we will be taking up this matter next week," the top court said, deferring the matter.
During the hearing, the top court heard arguments from both sides and told the petitioner (Arvind Kejriwal) that if it grants interim bail to Kejriwal, he cannot perform official duties as the apex court does not want interference at all in the working of the government.
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The court said that if had there been no elections, then it would not have given any interim relief. The top court also said that Arvind Kejriwal is the elected Chief Minister of Delhi and the current circumstances are extraordinary, given the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. "Suppose we release you, and you are allowed to participate in elections, you will be performing official duties, it can have cascading effects. We make it clear, we don't want you to be performing official duties if we release you," a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said.
Meanwhile, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for ED objected to the Supreme Court hearing arguments on interim bail for Kejriwal. Mehta further said that there can't be any deviation only because Kejriwal is the Chief Minister and asked if the Supreme Court is carving out exceptions for politicians.
"What example are we setting? Are other people less important than the Chief Minister?. How can a Chief Minister be treated differently than an 'Aam Aadmi.' There can't be any deviation only because he is a Chief Minister," SG Mehta said.
Mehta argued that Kejriwal evaded the summons for six months and also informed the apex court that Kejriwal stayed at the 7-star Grand Hyatt hotel during the 2022 Goa Assembly election and its bill was paid by Chanpreet Singh, who allegedly accepted cash funds for the AAP's campaign. "Please do not make an exception as it would demoralise a real common man and it shows that if you are holding a position, then you will get benefit," SG Mehta, appearing for the ED, told the bench.
The bench has divided the hearing on Kejriwal's petition against his arrest into two parts. His main petition challenges his arrest by the ED and seeks it to be declared illegal, while the second aspect pertains to the grant of interim bail keeping in mind the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody. On April 9, the Delhi High Court upheld Kejriwal's arrest, saying there was no illegality and the ED was left with "little option" after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation. The matter relates to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.
(With Agency Inputs)