Excise scam: Delhi HC to hear ED’s plea challenging Kejriwal’s bail in money laundering case

The Delhi High Court is slated to hear a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the bail granted to Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Delhi High Court is slated to hear on Monday (March 17, 2025) a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the bail granted to former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy-linked money laundering case.

The petition is listed for hearing before Justice Ravinder Dudeja.

The court had earlier adjourned the hearing after a request for the same was made by the counsel for the investigating agency.

Mr. Kejriwal’s counsel had submitted that his bail be maintained as all other accused had already been granted bail in the money laundering case.

The Supreme Court had on July 12 last year granted interim bail to Mr. Kejriwal in the money laundering case while referring to a larger bench three questions on the aspect of “need and necessity of arrest” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

On June 20, 2024, Mr. Kejriwal was granted bail by a trial court on a personal bond of ₹1 lak,h which was subsequently stayed by the high court on the ED’s plea.

Mr. Kejriwal was arrested by the ED and the CBI on March 21 and June 26 last year respectively in the money laundering and corruption cases.

The excise policy 2021 was scrapped in 2022 after the lieutenant governor of Delhi ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving its formulation and execution.

According to the CBI and the ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours were extended to the licence holders.