Fri Sep 13 10:07:08 UTC 2024: ## Supreme Court Grants Bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Excise Policy Scam Case

**New Delhi, September 13, 2024:** The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. The decision, which was delivered by a bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, comes after Kejriwal spent almost six months in jail following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The court, however, imposed stringent bail conditions, barring Kejriwal from visiting the Chief Minister’s office or the Delhi Secretariat and prohibiting him from making any public comment on the merits of the case.

While granting bail, the court acknowledged the prolonged incarceration of Kejriwal as an “unjust deprivation of liberty.” However, the court upheld the legality of his arrest, finding no procedural irregularities.

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, who penned a separate concurring opinion, disagreed with the court’s finding on the validity of the arrest, deeming it “unjustified.” He further stressed the need for the CBI to operate with greater transparency and independence, asserting that arrests should not be carried out in a high-handed manner, particularly in a democracy.

The CBI had arrested Kejriwal on June 26, alleging that he was “evasive and non-cooperative” during questioning related to his role in the excise policy scam. This arrest came after he was previously granted interim bail in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to bolster the morale of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is facing regional elections in Haryana next month and Delhi early next year.

The judgment sparked mixed reactions from political parties. While AAP leaders celebrated the decision, BJP leaders maintained that Kejriwal remains an accused and called for his immediate resignation. The Congress welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, accusing the BJP of misusing central agencies against opposition parties.

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