'21 Days Here And There...': Kejriwal Gets Interim Bail Till June 1

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till June 1. The apex court, however, rejected the request of senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, to grant him interim bail until the declaration of results on June 4. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam. He is currently lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody.

“In August 2022, ED registered ECIR...he was arrested in March...for the 1.5 years he was there... the arrest could have been afterwards or before, whatever it is. 21 days here or there should not make any difference”, Justice Khanna said, pointing out ED's delay in arresting Kejriwal.

The interim bail to Kejriwal comes a day after the Enforcement Directorate filed an affidavit in the SC opposing the move to grant interim bail to Kejriwal saying that “any special concession” to him will “amount to anathema to the rule of law and equality… thereby creating two separate classes in the country viz. ordinary people, who are bound by the rule of law as well as the laws of the country, and politicians who can seek exemption from the laws”.  

Earlier in the day, AAP leader & Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj while speaking to reporters came down heavily on ED's affidavit, saying, "Government of India is adopting double standards. You are stopping interim bail for Arvind Kejriwal but stayed the conviction of former union minister Dilip Ray in a coal scam case. It can be said that ED is batting for BJP."  

What ED Had Said In Its Affidavit

• In a fresh affidavit filed in the top court yesterday to thwart the release of the Aam Aadmi Party national convenor, the ED had said that the right to campaign in an election is neither a fundamental nor a constitutional right. 
• It added that there were numerous examples where politicians contested elections while in judicial custody, and some even won, but were never granted interim bail for campaigning.
• "No political leader has been granted interim bail for campaigning even though he is not the contesting candidate. Even a contesting candidate is not granted interim bail if he is in custody for his own campaigning.
• "It is relevant to note that the right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right," the ED said.
• Denouncing the ED's affidavit as a blatant disregard of legal procedures, the release said the affidavit was submitted without taking the SC's approval and issued at a time when the matter is already slated for a final decision in the top court tomorrow.