• Source:JND
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Arvind Kejriwal Bail Order: The Delhi High Court will pronounce its verdict on Tuesday on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate seeking a stay on the trial court's order granting bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The order is scheduled to be pronounced at 2:30 PM.

In his written submissions, the AAP national convener defended the bail order, arguing that no prejudice would be caused to the ED if he is released at this stage, as he could be sent back to custody if the High Court later decides to set aside the order. He asserted that staying the "well-reasoned" bail order would amount to virtually allowing the ED's petition to cancel the bail.

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Earlier on June 20, the trial court granted bail to Kejriwal and ordered his release on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. However, the court imposed certain conditions, including that he would not try to hamper the investigation or influence the witnesses. The ED has contended that the trial court's order was "perverse", "one-sided" and "wrong-sided", and that the findings were based on irrelevant facts.

The agency claimed that the order did not consider material demonstrating Kejriwal's "neck-deep involvement" in the alleged money laundering case. Kejriwal, however, has refuted the ED's assertions as "palpably wrong, misleading and tantamount to subterfuge and misrepresentation".

"The repeated contention of the ED that it was not given a proper opportunity of hearing and/or all its contentions have not been dealt with warrant to be rejected at the outset. As stated, the order granting bail not only deals with all the relevant contentions of both the sides but also the reasons for grant of bail duly reflect a due and proper application of mind by the Learned Court on each and every aspect," he said as quoted by news agency PTI.

A day after the trial court's order, the Delhi High Court had put in abeyance the operation of the bail order till the pronouncement on the issue of stay and asked the parties to file written submissions by June 24.

Kejriwal has approached the Supreme Court against the interim stay on his bail. Responding to this, the top court fixed June 26 for hearing his plea, saying it would like to wait for the pronouncement of the high court order on the issue.