Supreme Court Verdict on Arvind Kejriwal’s Arrest Plea by ED: Detailed Analysis

On July 12, the Supreme Court is set to deliver its final judgment on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest and remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy case. The verdict, to be announced by a bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, comes after the apex court reserved its decision on May 17. During the hearings, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju disclosed evidence of money being sent to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) through hawala channels, along with chats between Kejriwal and hawala operators discussing alleged crime proceeds.

Arvind Kejriwal, represented by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, argued that the newly cited evidence by the ED was not available at the time of his arrest. The Supreme Court had granted Kejriwal interim bail until June 1 in the money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy but restricted him from visiting the Chief Minister’s Office or the Delhi Secretariat until his surrender on June 2. The current judgment will address Kejriwal’s appeal against the Delhi High Court’s decision that upheld his arrest and subsequent remand by the ED in the excise policy case.

The Delhi High Court’s previous dismissal of Kejriwal’s plea for release amid allegations of political vendetta and non-cooperation with ED summons over six months further complicates the case. Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21, linked to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22, has been a focal point in this legal battle. The ongoing legal drama surrounding Kejriwal’s arrest and the allegations of corruption and money laundering in the excise policy formulation have kept the nation on tenterhooks. Stay tuned for the Supreme Court’s verdict to see how this high-profile case unfolds.