SC: ready to consider interim bail for Arvind Kejriwal, but he can't perform official duties

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it was willing to grant an interim bail plea to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was arrested on March 21 in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta are hearing the matter.

While hearing the arguments, the Supreme Court noted that it could consider bail for the Aam Aadmi Party chief so that he can campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha election. Delhi is going to polls on May 25.

"If we reserve judgment, then it will have to be pronounced also. Again, if we decide to allow the plea then this period of election campaigning will go. Thus we grant interim relief in extraordinary cases," the SC noted.

"If you perform official duties, then it will be a conflict of interest and we don't want that," the SC told Kejriwal.

Delhi CM Kejriwal later told the SC he will not deal with any excise policy scam related files, if granted interim bail.

However, the Enforcement Directorate opposed the court's view on hearing interim bail for Kejriwal, saying that the court must not create a separate class for politicians.

"What example are we setting? Are other people less important than CM? There can't be any deviation only because he is a CM. Are we carving out exceptions for politicians? Would campaigning for elections be more important?" the ED argued.

Noting that Kejriwal is the "elected Chief Minister of Delhi", Justice Dipankar Datta, said, "There are elections... these are extraordinary circumstances and he is not a habitual offender."

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