NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday granted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal interim bail till June 1 for campaigning for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta have ruled that Kejriwal, who was arrested in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam, must surrender and return to prison on June 2.
The bench dismissed the plea made by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, for the interim bail to be extended until June 5, which is the day after the vote counting on June 4.
Kejriwal’s plea challenging the Delhi High Court’s verdict upholding his arrest in the case is currently being heard by the Supreme Court.
The subject matter pertains to purported corruption and money laundering in the development and implementation of the Delhi government’s recently discarded excise policy for 2021–22.
Before granting him bail, the apex court set Kejriwal four conditions:
1. The Delhi Chief Minister will have to surrender on June 2, a couple of days before the announcement of the results of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
2. During the bail period, Kejriwal will only be allowed to campaign for his party, the AAP, for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
3. He should refrain from discussing the Delhi liquor policy case, the reason for his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21.
4. Kejriwal must refrain from carrying out any official responsibilities as Chief Minister while he is out on bail.
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