On June 21, the Delhi High Court suspended the release of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenged a trial court’s bail ruling in a money laundering case involving an excise policy. On Friday, the ED filed a petition in the High Court challenging Kejriwal’s bail. The High Court had stated that the issue would be scheduled for hearing after the file was correctly numbered.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders had arranged a welcome gathering for Kejriwal, who was set to be freed from Tihar Jail today after being granted bail in the money laundering case. A Delhi judge granted Kejriwal bail, with his counsel stating that the ED had insufficient evidence against him. AAP officials had also planned a demonstration over Delhi’s water crisis, with Water Minister Atishi and Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, set to visit Raj Ghat, where Atishi would begin an indefinite hunger strike.
Atishi emphasized the urgent water situation in Delhi and urged the Haryana government to discharge water into the Yamuna to alleviate the shortfall. She said that the Munak Canal and Wazirabad Barrage were not receiving enough water, affecting Delhi’s water supply.
Kejriwal’s release was expected at about 4 p.m., with AAP leaders prepared to receive him at Tihar Jail. However, the High Court’s involvement has delayed his release. The trial court offered his release on ₹1 lakh personal bail, with restrictions such as not interfering with the investigation and cooperating with court processes.
Kejriwal was arrested three months ago, on March 21, in connection with a money laundering case concerning the Delhi excise policy scandal, which is also under investigation by the CBI. The ED had previously claimed that Kejriwal was “directly involved in the formulation” of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, which was drafted “considering the favors to be granted to the ‘South Group’,” which the ED claimed “secured uninhibited access, undue favors, attained stakes in established wholesale businesses, and multiple retail zones, and paid Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders in return.”
Kejriwal was temporarily released on temporary bail for Lok Sabha election campaigning before surrendering again on June 2.
