ED Probe Liquor policy case: Delhi HC stays Arvind Kejriwal's bail till ED plea hearing
New Delhi/IBNS: In a setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo in the liquor policy case, the Delhi High Court on Friday stayed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bail order till the hearing of the Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s plea challenging the release, media reports said.
The ED on Friday filed a plea challenging Kejriwal's bail in the alleged money laundering scam linked to the liquor policy case, hours ahead of the politician's scheduled release from Tihar Jail.
Kejriwal was expected to walk out of the jail on Friday evening.
Kejriwal's lawyer had argued that the ED had no evidence against him.
His lawyer told the Delhi court that the ED's entire case against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief rested on statements given by those who turned approver in the case.
The court denied the ED's request to allow at least 48 hours to sign the bail bond for the central agency to challenge it before the relevant court.
"The statements are of those people who have confessed to being guilty. They are not saints here. They are those who are not only tainted, but it appears that some who were arrested were given a promise of bail, and a promise of being granted pardon. Approvers.
"And there is another category who have not been arrested," Kejriwal's lawyer had said earlier today, after which the court had reserved its order, only to announce the bail around 8 pm.
"Circumstances have to be so intrinsically linked (as to) lead to the guilt. These statements by tainted persons discredit the case of prosecution. There is no evidence that ₹ 100 crore came from 'South Group'. These are all statements. There is no evidence," the Chief Minister's lawyer said.
He was referring to the ED claims that the 'South Group', a lobby from Telangana that allegedly conspired to grab liquor licenses in the national capital.
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 over money laundering allegations while framing the Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped after the Lieutenant Governor raised red flags.
The ED has alleged the money Kejriwal got from the liquor sellers was used to fund the party's campaign in Goa since he is the convenor of the AAP.
Kejriwal and the AAP have throughout maintained the Centre has been misusing its agencies to harass the Opposition with false cases.
Kejriwal was given an interim bail in May for a brief period until June 2 for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls.
He went back to the jail on June 2, the day next to the last phase poll date.
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