Delhi high court to pronounce verdict on Arvind Kejriwal's bail today

The Delhi high court will today pronounce its verdict on the Enforcement Directorate's petition seeking stay on the trial court's order that granted regular bail to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case.

Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Thursday granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March in connection with the excise policy case. The Enforcement Directorate, however, moved the Delhi high court the next day, seeking stay on the trial court's order.

The Delhi high court later imposed an interim stay on Kejriwal's release till it decides on ED's plea.

Kejriwal on Saturday moved the Supreme Court against the interim stay.

Also read: Arvind Kejriwal bail: Supreme Court calls Delhi high court's interim stay ‘unusual’

The AAP chief would have walked out of the Tihar jail on Friday had the court not paused the lower court's order.

The agency has claimed the trial court's order was lopsided and perverse. It also claims it was not given ample time to present its arguments.

Kejriwal's lawyer filed written submissions in the high court on Monday, saying the assertions made by the ED are "palpably wrong, misleading and tantamount to subterfuge and misrepresentation".

"The repeated contention of the ED that it was not given a proper opportunity of hearing and/or all its contentions have not been dealt with warrant to be rejected at the outset. As stated, the order granting bail not only deals with all the relevant contentions of both the sides but also the reasons for grant of bail duly reflect a due and proper application of mind by the Learned Court on each and every aspect," he said.

The submissions further said that Kejriwal is gravely aggrieved by the interim stay. He claimed the trial court's order was well reasoned. It said the order was given after due application of mind and considering arguments and contentions made by both the parties.

On Monday, the AAP leader's lawyer submitted before the Supreme Court that Kejriwal could be released while the high court decides on ED's plea. He added that Kejriwal isn't a flight risk.

On Monday, the Supreme Court fixed June 26 for hearing Kejriwal's plea, saying it would like to wait for the pronouncement of the high court order.

The court also noted that the Delhi high court's interim stay was unusual.

With inputs from PTI