Delhi HC to pronounce verdict on ED’s plea against Kejriwal bail on June 25

Delhi High Court to decide on ED plea against Arvind Kejriwal's bail; Supreme Court to hear case on June 26.

The Delhi High Court will pronounce its verdict on June 25 on the Enforcement Directorate’s plea challenging the bail granted to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case.

The Vacation Bench of the High Court, on June 21, reserved its order on the ED plea in order to go through the entire records.

The Supreme Court, on Monday, while hearing Mr. Kejriwal’s plea challenging the High Court’s suspension of the bail granted to him, pointed out that it was “unusual” for orders to be reserved in stay applications as conventionally they are pronounced soon after the court concludes hearing arguments.

The top court will now hear the case on June 26.

The Delhi Chief Minister was arrested by the ED on March 21. The agency had alleged that Mr. Kejriwal was the ‘kingpin’ of the Delhi excise policy ‘scam’. After remaining in jail for weeks, he was released on May 10 by the Supreme Court to campaign for the Lok Sabha election. He returned to jail on June 2 as the top court denied him further relief.

The ED had moved an urgent plea before the High Court challenging the trial court’s bail order, which was passed late on June 20. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, representing the ED, had contended that the agency was not given adequate opportunity by the trial court to argue its case

On the other hand, senior advocates Abhishek Singhvi and Vikram Chaudhari, representing Mr. Kejriwal, urged the High Court not to stay the bail order; they instead suggested that the court send him back to jail if it found overwhelming and cogent circumstances.