New Delhi: On Thursday, a Delhi court held its order regarding the bail petition of the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was accused of money laundering in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case. It is linked to the controversy over the now-abandoned Gujarat excise policy involving Modi. Further, the court also withheld its decision on a plea by Kejriwal to permit his wife, Sunita Kejriwal, to join the medical examination through Video Conferencing.
The Rouse Avenue court was hearing Kejriwal’s bail matter and the application for permission to be examined through video conferencing his wife, Sunita Agarwal. These matters will remain an issue as the court proceeds to rule on the requests made by Kejriwal.
The ED opposes Kejriwal’s motion, stating that as the leader of the political party known as AAP, Kejriwal did not commit the offence personally. Still, he is in charge of its affairs. In section 70 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the party leader, Kejriwal, is also considered guilty when the party is caught. As will be seen in this section, this is done concerning his involvement in the party’s operations, which the ED considers to be running just like a company. The ED cites statements of AAP candidates involved in the assembly elections, challenging them to admit they received the money in detail. The constitution of AAP clearly states that the national convenor, Kejriwal, is responsible for the party’s actions.
Further, the ED states that real contumacious civil disobedience to summons by Kejriwal has been noted to be recognized in the summoning stage by the magistrate. This disobedience has been cited in the case as one of the reasons that must make him still a subject of legal attention.
The ED also refers to the division bench as the material that led to the arrest of Kejriwal, who was held back after the court. Thus, this element of vagaries in the timing of his arrest cannot be a reason to give him bail.
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