The Supreme Court of India today pronounce its verdict on interim bail plea of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case connected to the excise policy scam. The Enforcement Directorate arrested the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader on March 21. Currently, he is in Tihar Jail and is under judicial custody.
The top court granted the Aam Aadmi Party leader interim bail till June 1st. The plea filed by Kejriwal challenges his arrest in the Delhi liquor policy case and the subsequent request for interim bail to enable his participation in campaigning for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
The ED on Thursday opposed the interim bail for Kejriwal. In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the probe agency said that the right to campaign for elections was "not fundamental".The right to campaign for an election is not a fundamental, constitutional or legal right. To ED's knowledge, no political leader has been granted interim bail for campaigning even though he is not the contesting candidate," the affidavit read.
Hitting out at \Kejriwal for seeking interim bail, the ED said that the AAP leader used the same excuse to avoid the summons earlier, saying there were elections in five states.The ED is also expected to file its first chargesheet against Kejriwal in the liquor policy case.