- By Radha Basnet
- Wed, 07 Aug 2024 10:06 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Excise Policy Scam: The Delhi High Court questioned the Enforcement Directorate about the purpose of its appeal to cancel the bail granted to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, given that the Supreme Court had already provided him with interim bail in the money laundering case related to the excise policy. The court remarked that the issue had become purely academic and asked whether, if the ED's petition were granted, the agency would proceed to arrest the Chief Minister again.
"Answer my question. What will happen if I allow your petition? Will you arrest him again?" Justice Neena Bansal Krishna asked the ED's counsel. To this, the counsel said there was no question of arrest and no one has declared his arrest to be illegal.
The judge also noted that the applications filed in the case were so well-drafted that she found them confusing. "Is it for bail, illegal custody or compensation? I am confused," she said as quoted by news agency PTI.
The Supreme Court, on July 12, granted interim bail to AAP supremo in the money laundering case and referred to a larger bench for in-depth consideration of three questions on the aspect of "need and necessity of arrest" under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). However, he remains in jail under judicial custody in the Central Bureau of Investigation's corruption case, stemming out of the excise scam.
At the beginning of the proceedings, the ED's counsel urged the court to grant an adjournment and hear the matter on Thursday as the additional solicitor general who has to argue the case was busy in another court.
The judge stated that scheduling the matter for Thursday was not possible and remarked that it seemed the ED was no longer interested in pursuing the case. "Last time also an adjournment was sought. You can't be requesting the court all the time as if this court has no work. You have to adjust your diary accordingly. Don't think that courts at the drop of a hat will give you a date," the judge said.
The matter has now been scheduled for a hearing on September 5. On June 20, Kejriwal was granted bail by a trial court with a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. He was previously arrested by the ED on March 21 and by the CBI on June 26 in connection with money laundering and corruption cases. The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities and corruption related to its formulation and implementation.