Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, has received interim bail from the Supreme Court in relation to the alleged liquor policy scam in the city. The court has granted him bail until June 1st after he sought permission to campaign during the Lok Sabha elections. Following a hearing on May 7th, the Supreme Court reserved its decision. Today, Justices Sanjeev Khanna and Dipankar Dutta announced the verdict, extending Arvind Kejriwal's interim bail until June 1st and instructing him to surrender to the ED on June 2nd.
Arvind Kejriwal's legal representative, Shadan Farasat, confirmed the bail and mentioned ongoing efforts to secure his release from Tihar Jail. Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam and subsequently had his bail plea rejected by the Delhi High Court. He then turned to the Supreme Court, seeking permission to campaign during the elections.
In a recent development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed Kejriwal's plea in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, arguing against granting him bail on the grounds that election campaigning is not a fundamental right. The ED expressed concerns that releasing Kejriwal for campaigning purposes would set a problematic precedent. Following the news of Arvind Kejriwal's bail, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her satisfaction on social media, stating that Kejriwal's bail would benefit her in his election campaign.