NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday deferred the urgent hearing of Arvind Kejriwal’s bail application in the excise policy-linked money laundering case, following a request by the ED for additional time to respond to Kejriwal’s reply.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna postponed the hearing to July 15, granting the ED more time to file a rejoinder.
The ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, said they had received Kejriwal’s reply late on Tuesday night, leaving insufficient time to prepare a comprehensive response.
Advocate AM Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, challenged the ED’s claim saying the reply was sent earlier in the day. Singhvi emphasized the urgency of the matter as the high court had stayed the bail granted to Kejriwal by the trial court. Despite Singhvi’s eagerness to proceed without relying on the counter affidavit, Justice Krishna maintained that the ED is entitled to file a rejoinder.
In his 130-page response, Kejriwal criticized the ED’s insinuations against Special Judge Niyay Bindu of the Rouse Avenue Court, who granted him bail on June 20, highlighting the detrimental impact of ED’s remarks on judicial integrity and fairness, urging the high court to denounce such comments.
He also questioned the ED’s reliance on media reports, specifically citing inconsistencies in the agency’s approach to media coverage in legal proceedings. He argued that the ED’s complaint of inadequate opportunity to contest the bail before the trial court was baseless and undermined the efficiency of the justice system.
“The ED chose to produce the media reporting of the proceedings before the Special Judge. However, even the media reports would lay bare the hollowness of the ED’s contention of lack of proper opportunity. Merely because the court had controlled the manner of proceedings or asked the ED’s counsel to be brief can by no means be construed that an opportunity of hearing was curtailed,” the application stated.
The CM’s response further contended that no substantive case of money laundering had been established against him. He disputed the ED’s assertion that the trial court failed to consider the twin conditions for bail under Section 45 of the PMLA, emphasizing the trial court had addressed all major arguments presented by the parties.
CM allowed to appear via video conferencing
The Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday allowed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea seeking his production on July 12 via virtual mode. On Tuesday, the court took cognisance of the ED chargesheet making Kejriwal accused in the excise policy case, and ordered Kejriwal to appear before the court on July 12. Kejriwal on Wednesday submitted a plea seeking to be produced virtually.