Fri Sep 13 09:47:07 UTC 2024: ## Delhi CM Kejriwal Granted Bail in Excise Policy Scam Case

**New Delhi:** In a significant development, the Supreme Court granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case related to the alleged excise policy scam. The decision, delivered on Friday, came after a two-month long stay in Tihar jail.

Kejriwal, arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in June, had been embroiled in a legal battle for his release. While granting bail, the court imposed conditions, forbidding him from making public comments on the merits of the case.

The bench, headed by Justice Surya Kant, found no procedural flaws in Kejriwal’s arrest. However, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan expressed reservations, suggesting that the arrest was timed strategically to “frustrate” bail granted in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case.

Justice Bhuyan questioned the timing of Kejriwal’s arrest by the CBI, highlighting that the agency had not pursued an arrest for over 22 months before his release in the ED case.

The bail order has been met with mixed reactions from political parties. While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) celebrated the decision, the BJP expressed disappointment, claiming that Kejriwal remains an accused and the charges against him have not been dropped.

The BJP has also criticized the bail conditions, alleging that the SC has found Kejriwal to be the “kingpin” of the liquor scam. The party has further demanded that Kejriwal resign from his position.

AAP leaders, however, have countered these allegations, terming the bail as a victory for truth and a setback for the BJP’s alleged misuse of investigative agencies. The party is hoping that Kejriwal’s release will boost their campaign in the upcoming Haryana assembly elections.

Kejriwal’s release, following the bail granted to other AAP leaders like Manish Sisodia and Vijay Nair, is expected to give the party a significant boost in the lead-up to the Delhi assembly elections scheduled for next year.

**The Background:**

The Delhi excise policy case involves allegations of corruption and money laundering related to the now-scrapped policy. Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in March and subsequently by the CBI in June. While granted interim bail in the money laundering case, he was in judicial custody for the CBI case.

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