Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 20: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail on Thursday in a money laundering case linked to a now-scrapped excise policy.

"Accused is admitted to bail in the sum of Rs 1 lac ," stated Special Judge Niyay Bindu.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) requested the court to grant the agency 48 hours to accept the bail bonds to allow time for challenging the order in a higher court. However, Special Judge Bindu clarified that there was no stay on the bail order.

The court also mentioned that Arvind Kejriwal's counsel could apply for the bail bond before the concerned judge the following day.

Earlier in the day, the judge had reserved the order after hearing the matter for two days. During the hearings, the ED attempted to link Kejriwal to the alleged proceeds of crime and co-accused, while the defense argued that the prosecution lacked evidence against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader.

Kejriwal's lawyer contended that the ED's case was based solely on statements from individuals who had turned approver in the case.

"The statements are from people who have confessed to being guilty. They are not saints. These are individuals who, after being arrested, were promised bail and pardon. Some were not even arrested," Kejriwal's lawyer argued earlier today, after which the court reserved its order and later announced the bail around 8 pm.

"The circumstances must be intrinsically linked to establish guilt. These statements from tainted individuals discredit the prosecution's case. There is no evidence that Rs 100 crore came from the 'South Group'. These are just statements without evidence," the chief minister's lawyer said, referring to the ED's allegations involving a lobby from Telangana that purportedly conspired to obtain liquor licenses in the national capital.

Vacation Judge Niyay Bindu of the Rouse Avenue Court had earlier extended Kejriwal's judicial custody in the excise policy case after hearing arguments at length on his regular bail plea. The judge also addressed CM Kejriwal’s application to allow his wife Sunita Kejriwal to be present during his medical examination, awaiting a report from Tihar Jail on the matter.

During the bail arguments, senior advocate Vikram Chaudhary, representing CM Kejriwal, had contended that the case against him relied on statements from individuals who were allegedly promised bail for supporting the ED's case. He had also questioned the credibility of these witnesses and suggested their statements were made under duress after failing to obtain bail.

Chaudhary also cited the timing of CM Kejriwal's arrest before the Lok Sabha elections, suggesting it was politically motivated. He argued that there was no material evidence or money trail against CM Kejriwal, describing the investigation as "the biggest instrument of oppression."

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the ED, argued that CM Kejriwal was liable not only in his personal capacity but also as the head of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleging he had demanded a bribe of Rs 100 crore. Raju emphasized that the credibility of the statements could only be assessed during the trial, not at the bail stage, and that inducements given to the approvers were lawful and necessary for obtaining evidence.

(With inputs from IANS)