Delhi Excise Policy Case: Supreme Court grants interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi [India]: The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the now-scrapped excise policy case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna referred to his petition challenging his arrest by the ED to a larger bench.

Supreme Court while granting interim bail to Kejriwal in the ED case observed that the Delhi Chief Minister has suffered incarceration of 90 days and it's conscious that he is an elected leader.

Kejriwal's lawyer Rishikesh Kumar described the verdict as "a big victory."

"The Supreme Court has granted him interim bail and the issue of Section 19 and necessity of arrest has been referred to a larger bench. CM Kejriwal will remain in custody as his bail in the CBI case is still pending. This is a big victory," Kumar told ANI.

Supreme Court lawyer Shadan Farasat representing Kejriwal said, "The court observed that in so far as his arrest is concerned, there are certain aspects on the necessity of arrest... They said Mr Kejriwal has undergone a large period of incarceration already and therefore, directed his release and bail immediately in the ED matter."

(ANI)