New Delhi: In a significant development, the Supreme Court today granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the controversial Delhi excise policy case. The decision was delivered by a bench led by Justice Surya Kant, who had earlier reserved the verdict on September 5.
The case, which has garnered nationwide attention, involves allegations of corruption and money laundering linked to changes in Delhi’s liquor policy. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 last year and also faced investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Timeline of Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest and the Excise Policy case
- November 2021: The Delhi government announced a new excise policy aimed at restructuring the liquor distribution system in the capital.
- July 2022: Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the policy's formulation and implementation.
- August 2022: Both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI registered cases related to the alleged scam.
- September 2022: The Delhi government scrapped the controversial excise policy amid mounting pressure.
- October 30, 2023: The ED issued summons to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in the case.
- November 2, 2023: Kejriwal skipped the ED summons and instead attended a political rally in Madhya Pradesh.
- December 21, 2023, and January 3, 2024: The ED issued two additional summons to Kejriwal, which he again skipped.
- January 18, 2024, and February 2, 2024: More summonses were sent to Kejriwal, but he continued to avoid them.
- February 3, 2024: The ED approached the court, alleging that Kejriwal was deliberately avoiding the summons.
- February 7, 2024: The court officially summoned Kejriwal for questioning.
- February 2024: Kejriwal received multiple summons on February 19, February 26, and March 4, which he skipped for the seventh consecutive time.
- March 2024: Kejriwal was granted bail on two complaints filed by the ED. However, the Delhi High Court refused to offer him protection, prompting him to move to the Supreme Court. He was arrested on March 21.
- April 2024: A Delhi Court dismissed Kejriwal’s plea against his arrest. The ED informed the Supreme Court that the Delhi CM was involved in money laundering. Kejriwal challenged the order in the Supreme Court.
- May 2024: The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal, which lasted until June 1. He was instructed to surrender on the given date, which he complied with.
- June 2024: A Delhi Court reserved its decision on Kejriwal’s interim bail until June 5, eventually denying him temporary relief. Later in the month, the court granted him regular bail. However, the ED moved the Delhi High Court against the bail, and the CBI arrested Kejriwal again on June 26 in connection with the corruption case.
- September 13, 2024: Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the excise policy scam, bringing a temporary respite to the Delhi Chief Minister.
This legal battle has placed Kejriwal under intense scrutiny, with both the ED and CBI investigating his role in the excise policy case. While the Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail offers temporary relief, the case continues to unfold as authorities probe deeper into the alleged corruption.
