Supreme Court Grants Interim Bail to Kejriwal, Scrutinizes ED's Arrest Protocol

The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in an excise policy case, questioning the Enforcement Directorate's arrest criteria. The court highlighted inconsistencies in ED's actions and stressed the necessity for a uniform policy under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court also raised concerns about the ED's protocols for arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta noted discrepancies in the ED’s arrest data. They referred to statistics showing that out of 5,906 Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs) registered by January 31, 2023, only 531 searches were conducted, resulting in 513 arrests and 1,142 prosecution complaints.

The apex court stressed that arrest under Section 19 of the PMLA should not be merely for investigation purposes and emphasized the need for fair and lawful arrests. The court referred Kejriwal’s plea to a larger bench for further examination on the necessity and grounds of his arrest.