Setback for Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi High Court puts his bail on hold

New Delhi: Hours before Kejriwal’s release from Tihar jail, Delhi High Court puts on hold his bail order until Enforcement Directorate's petition challenging the bail is heard.

The ED today approached the court questioning Kejriwal's bail in the case in a setback to the Delhi Chief Minister.

Mentioning in the petition its challenging of the trial court order granting bail, the ED sought an urgent hearing before a bench of Justices Sudhir Kumar Jain and Ravinder Dudeja, NDTV reported. 

The bench reportedly said the case file will come to it in 10-15 minutes and after that it will hear the matter.

Subsequently, the court made it clear that the trial court order should not be acted upon until it hears the matter.

The order comes as the Kejriwal's wife, Sunita Kejriwal, and Aam Aadmi Party leaders are set to visit Tihar Jail at 4 pm today to greet the Delhi Chief Minister at the time of his release.

Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Thursday ordered Kejriwal's release on a personal bond of ₹ 1 lakh. In the process the court had observed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had failed to give any direct evidence against the Chief Minister in respect of the proceeds of crime.

Vacation judge Niyay Bindu of Rouse Avenue Courts observed that since ED believed that the evidence on record was not sufficient to proceed against Kejriwal, it was taking time to procure the same in any manner.

The order came with certain conditions directing Keriwal not try to hamper the investigation or influence the witnesses.

The ED arrested Kejriwal on March 21 over money laundering allegations related to the Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22.

The money Kejriwal received from the liquor sellers was used to fund the party's campaign in Goa, the ED reportedly alleged.

Tags: