In a major relief to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a Delhi court on Thursday granted him bail in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.
Special Judge Niyay Bindu also declined the Enforcement Directorate's prayer to keep in abeyance the bail order for 48 hours to allow the central agency to appeal against it in a superior court.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader is likely to walk out of jail on Friday.
During the hearing, the ED sought to link Kejriwal to the alleged proceeds of crime and co-accused, and the defence that claimed the prosecution has no evidence to nail the chief minister.
The agency told the court that Kejriwal stayed at hotel Grand Hyatt in Goa on on November 7, 2021 during the assembly poll campaign and the bill was paid by Chanpreet Singh, who is alleged to have managed the AAP funds in the coastal state.
Kejriwal's counsel, however, asserted that the entire case against him rests on statements.
"The statements are of those people who have confessed to being guilty. They are not saints here. They are those who are not only tainted, but it appears that some who were arrested were given a promise of bail and promise of being granted pardon. Approvers. And there is another category who have not been arrested," the counsel said.
Kejriwal, who was arrested on March 21, is currently in judicial custody.
On May 10, the Supreme Court had granted him bail to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. He surrendered in Tihar jail on June after his bail period ended.
‘Tight slap on BJP’s face’
Hailing the court order, the AAP wrote on X: "Truth can be troubled, not defeated. Rejecting all the objections raised by BJP's ED, the Honorable Court has granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister @ArvindKejriwal.”
AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the court order is a victory of truth and a "tight slap" on the face of the BJP.
"Every worker is enthused by this victory. We are very happy. It is a tight slap on the face of the BJP. If the BJP has any shame left, they should now close these fake cases and release those in jail," he said.
Soon after Kejriwal got bail, senior AAP leader Atishi in a post on X said, 'Satyamev Jayate" (truth alone triumphs).
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha said, "This is victory of truth, victory of justice. Heartfelt thanks to the honorable Court for granting bail to Kejriwal."