Supreme Court Postpones Hearing on Arvind Kejriwal Bail to Some Other Date

The Supreme Court deferred hearing on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's plea against his bail stay until June 26. The court awaits the Delhi High Court's decision on the ED's challenge to Kejriwal's bail in the liquor policy case. Kejriwal remains in custody since March 21.

The Supreme Court of India has rescheduled the hearing on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal bail petition against the Delhi High Court’s interim order to stay his bail. It is now listed for hearing to be on June 26th.

Justice Manoj Misra and SVN Bhatti formed the vacation bench where they opted to wait for the High Court decision rather than act.

Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and has been in judicial custody since March 21, was released on bail by a trial court on Thursday. Nevertheless, the ED contested it in the Delhi High Court that put a stay on the further execution of the lower court order.

Singhvi, senior advocate for Kejriwal, submitted that the Chief Minister should be allowed to be free until the High Court decides on the ED’s petition, and submitted that Kejriwal is not a flight risk.

The Supreme Court thereby exercised its discretion by stating that making an order at this stage would amount to the court prejudging the issue while acknowledging the status of the High Court. Thus, the bench said: ‘It is not a subordinate court, it is a high court. ’

Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, said that the High Court has not passed this order and it is likely to pass it in a day or two.

The case refers to the so-called liquor policy scam, based on which Kejriwal was arrested by the ED. The AAP national convener is a political leader who would have been released from Tihar jail on Friday but for the High Court order that granted an interim stay.

During the High Court proceedings, the ED’s legal representative defended the trial court’s bailing order as biased, unfair, and highly partial, as the matter was decided without the proper consideration of some documents.

Also Read: Delhi High Court puts on hold Kejriwal’s bail order

The delay in the hearing in the apex court shows that Kejriwal’s case has gone through several turns of legal proceedings in different courts to decide the bail of the Delhi Chief Minister.