Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been granted bail by a Delhi court in a money laundering case, citing lack of direct evidence linking him to the alleged proceeds of crime. Special Judge Niyay Bindu, in her order issued on Thursday, emphasized that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had not provided substantial evidence establishing Kejriwal’s guilt.
The court’s decision to grant bail has been temporarily stayed by the Delhi High Court following an appeal by the ED. The trial court’s order was disclosed to the media on Friday.
Judge Niyay Bindu highlighted that while there might be individuals associated with Kejriwal who could be involved in criminal activities, the ED failed to present concrete evidence directly connecting him to the alleged proceeds of crime.
Furthermore, the judge questioned the ED’s handling of Kejriwal’s claim that he was arrested in connection with the money laundering case without being named in the initial CBI FIR or the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR). The ECIR serves as the ED’s equivalent of an FIR.
The court also criticized the ED for not clarifying the time needed to fully trace the alleged money trail related to the case. Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were accused of receiving kickbacks amounting to Rs 100 crore from the South Group, purportedly to manipulate Delhi’s liquor policy in favor of licensees. These funds were allegedly used during the 2022 Goa assembly election campaign.
The judge concluded that until the ED completes the task of tracing the entire amount, keeping Kejriwal in custody without substantial evidence against him is unjustifiable.
The developments in this case underscore ongoing legal challenges and debates surrounding allegations against prominent political figures in India.
