Supreme Court grants Arvind Kejriwal interim bail in excise policy case till June 1

On March 21, the Delhi Chief Minister was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case from his official residence in Delhi.

The central investigative agency asserts that he played a central role in the scam and was directly implicated in soliciting kickbacks from liquor barons.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had said that Kejriwal would not be permitted to carry out his official responsibilities due to "may have a cascading effect" even if he is granted interim bail while in jail. 

Kejriwal, who is lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail, filed an appeal with the Supreme Court the day after his petition contesting his arrest and custody was dismissed by the Delhi High Court on April 9.

After Kejriwal was arrested, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which rules Delhi, had cried political vendetta by the country's ruling BJP accusing it of stopping the party supremo from campaigning in the Lok Sabha elections. 

The seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, a union territory, wll go to polls on May 25. The results will be declared on June 4. 

The counsel has denied interim bail to Kejriwal to June 5. 

Reacting to the Supreme Court order, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee posted on X, "I am very happy to see that Shri Arvind Kejriwal @ArvindKejriwal has got interim bail. It will be very helpful in the context of the current elections."