Arvind Kejriwal to get bail? SC verdict today in excise policy case

The Supreme Court will deliver verdict on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bail and arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the excise policy case on Friday. Will he be granted bail today? All eyes are set on the judgement to be pronounced by the Supreme Court around 10.30 AM on Friday, September 13.

Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan have written judgments in the case, Bar and Bench reported. Meanwhile, Live Law reported that two judgments will be pronounced in the petitions filed by Arvind Kejriwal in the Supreme Court challenging CBI arrest and seeking bail.

Both Justices Surya Kant & Ujjal Bhuyan will pronounce judgments. The causelist was later updated to state that Justice Bhuyan will also pronounce judgment.

The bench had reserved the verdict on September 5. The court had earlier granted Kejriwal interim bail in the case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate. However, his incarceration continued due to the CBI case.

Kejriwal was first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam on March 21. The Aam Aadmi Party national conevnor was arrested by the CBI on June 26, while he was in custody of the ED in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.

Will Kejriwal get bail?

During the hearing last week, Kejriwal's lawyer Abhishek Singhvi said that every other possible co-accused in the excise policy case has been released.

Those granted bail by the Supreme Court in the same case include former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislator K Kavitha and Vijay Nair, the former communication in-charge of Aam Aadmi Party. Sanjay Singh, another AAP leader who is also a Rajya Sabha member, was released on bail in April 2024.

Should the Supreme Court rule in his favour, Kejriwal will be released nearly six months after he was first arrested - by the Enforcement Directorate - and two months after getting bail for that arrest. A bail this time will also make Kejriwal the fifth, and most high-profile, opposition leader to leave jail after being arrested in this case.

Delhi liquor excise policy

It is alleged that Kejriwal and the AAP received kickbacks of ₹ 100 crore, including significant payments from a 'South group' led by BRS leader K Kavitha, for allotment of wholesale licences. The ED and CBI contended that this money was then used by the AAP to fund election campaigns, including that for the 2022 Goa Assembly election.