Delhi Liquor Policy: Kejriwal Gets Bail In ED Complaint, Asked To Furnish Bond For Rs 15,000

Delhi Excise Policy Case: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been granted bail by a Delhi court in a case related to the excise policy case.

File Photo Of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ( Image Source :PTI Images )

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal has been granted bail by a Delhi Court on Saturday in a case related to the excise policy. The court instructed him to furnish a bond of Rs 15,000 after complaints were lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleging his failure to comply with issued summons. The next hearing in the case will be held at 10 AM on April 1. 

Kejriwal made an appearance at the Rouse Avenue Court, facing accusations of disregarding summonses from the Enforcement Directorate. Security measures were heightened outside the court premises.

Rouse Avenue Court's ACMM Divya Malhotra grants bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in both complaints filed by ED. https://t.co/LNXy0Uig0G

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2024

Sanjeev Nasiar, the legal head of AAP, told reporters, "The court had summoned CM (Arvind Kejriwal). That time he attended it through video conferencing when he was directed again he said that he would appear physically. He appeared today & submitted the bail bond. The bail was granted". 

#WATCH | AAP party legal head Sanjeev Nasiar says, "The court had summoned CM (Arvind Kejriwal). Lat time he attended it through video conferencing when he was directed again he said that he would appear physically. He appeared today & submitted the bail bond. The bail was… pic.twitter.com/BhX3NPl44p

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2024

ED, AAP MLA & Advocate Madan Lal told news agency ANI, "It is a bailable offence & we believe that it is an unreasonable case. Our argument will happen on April 1".

#WATCH | On CM Arvind Kejriwal being granted bail in two cases filed by ED, AAP MLA & Advocate Madan Lal says, "It is a bailable offence & we believe that it is an unreasonable case. Our argument will happen on April 1..." pic.twitter.com/BnLBalJdp1

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2024

Reacting to the development, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari told ANI, "He has got bail on bail bond of Rs 15,000 in the case of complaints filed by ED. He is on bail and has been asked by the court to respond to the ED summons and obey the law. Following the law is appropriate for a person who has taken the oath of the Constitution".

#WATCH | BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in ED summons case

"He has got bail on bail bond of Rs 15,000 in the case of complaints filed by ED. He is on bail and has been asked by the court to respond to the ED summons and obey the law. Following the law is… pic.twitter.com/m3ai5vnKdQ

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2024

Calling the entire case a "political vendetta", AAP leader Reena Gupta emphasised electoral bonds data revealed by the Election Commission. "We have been saying from the start that this is a political vendetta & is a baseless case. No evidence has been found," she was quoted as saying by ANI. 

"The big issue ahead of the country is the electoral bonds case. The central agencies were misused by the BJP. The BJP used electoral bonds for massive funds," she added further. 

#WATCH | On CM Arvind Kejriwal granted bail in ED summons case, AAP leader Reena Gupta says, "We have been saying from the start that this is a political vendetta & is a baseless case. No evidence has been found..." pic.twitter.com/BtOsvikZft

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2024

Earlier on Thursday, Kejriwal had moved the Sessions Court to contest the summonses issued by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate following complaints from the ED. These complaints pertained to his purported non-compliance with summonses in connection with the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case.

Kejriwal agreed to cooperate with the ED, agreeing to appear in court in the excise policy case after March 12. 

He has so far ignored eight summonses from the ED on February 26, February 19, February 2, January 18, January 3, November 2, and December 22, dismissing them as "illegal and politically motivated". 

On March 7, the central investigation agency filed a new complaint against him for failing to appear for the previous four summonses issued under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. 

Earlier, the ED filed a complaint against Kejriwal for failing to appear for the first three summons issued to him in the money laundering case involving the now-defunct Delhi excise policy. The hearing in that case occurred today.