India's Supreme Court Frees Delhi Chief Minister On Bail In Graft Case

By Shakir Husain

NEW DELHI, Sept 13 (Bernama) -- India's Supreme Court on Friday freed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on bail in a corruption case involving Delhi state's alcohol sale policy.

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Kejriwal, 55, was first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), India's financial crime investigation agency, on March 21, weeks before the start of India's general elections.

He was granted bail in that case in July, but stayed in jail as he was also under arrest since June by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The two agencies looked into different allegations in the case.

Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) celebrated Friday's court decision to grant him bail, which comes as Delhi's neighbouring Haryana state prepares to hold assembly elections next month.

"It is a big relief for us. It is an emotional moment," AAP leader Manish Sisodia said at a press conference.

Sisodia, a former deputy chief minister of Delhi, was himself arrested in the case that relates to allegations of corruption in issuing alcohol trade licences after the state administration ended its monopoly on liquor sale in 2021 by allowing private players to enter the business.

The new policy was scrapped in 2022.

Sisodia was released on bail last month after 17 months in jail.

Another senior AAP leader, Sanjay Singh, a member of Parliament, was granted bail in the case in April after six months in jail.

"We have been saying since day one that this entire case is built on lies," Singh said at the media conference.

Kejriwal and his colleagues have denied wrongdoing and called the allegations against them a political conspiracy by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to discredit the party.

The AAP said Kejriwal will lead its election campaign in the Haryana election.

The Election Commission recently changed the date of polling in Haryana to Oct 5, 2024 from from Oct 1.

-- BERNAMA