Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal requested the Delhi High Court to dismiss the petition of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) challenging the trial court’s decision granting him bail, sources said on Wednesday.
In his reply to the ED’s appeal before the court, the chief minister said, “My incarceration will have grave prejudicial implications as well as severe reputational damage. I’m a well-respected member of the community and have deep roots in society.”
Kejriwal further said that his incarceration in the matter is an abuse of the process of law as his arrest is illegal.
He told the court that there was no material to show his involvement in the process or activity related to the proceeds of crime and that the ED has no material evidence to justify his further incarceration.
The AAP chief said,” If bail matters are allowed to be continued to be argued for very long hours and days together, it would not only render the criminal justice system unworkable but also render justice illusory for many undertrials and convicts who languish in jail for want of hearing or decision on their bail applications.”
On June 20, the Rouse Avenue Court granted bail to the AAP convener in an ED case pertaining to the alleged Delhi liquor scam. According to reports, the trial court observed that the federal probe agency could not give any direct evidence linking Kejriwal to the proceeds of the crime.
Soon after the court granted bail to Kejriwal, the ED moved to the Delhi High Court on June 25 and got a stay on the trial court’s bail order.
On June 26, the Delhi CM was also arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for alleged corruption in the (now scrapped) Delhi excise policy.
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the ED from his official residence in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.