Excise Scam: Delhi High Court to Review ED’s Challenge Against Kejriwal’s Bail on March 17

The Delhi High Court is set to hear the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) plea challenging the bail granted to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy. The hearing is scheduled for March 17, 2025, before Justice Ravinder Dudeja.

The case revolves around alleged irregularities in the 2021 excise policy, which was scrapped in 2022 following a CBI probe into its formulation and execution. The ED and CBI claim that undue favors were extended to license holders, leading to corruption and money laundering.

Kejriwal was granted bail by a trial court on June 20, 2024, on a personal bond of ₹1 lakh. However, the ED challenged this decision, and the High Court stayed the bail. The Supreme Court had earlier granted him interim bail while referring key questions about the necessity of arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to a larger bench. The outcome of this hearing could have significant implications for the case and the broader legal interpretations of the PMLA.