The Supreme Court granted bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the CBI case related to the liquor policy scam. After getting bail, he came out of jail late in the evening. The court has granted bail to Kejriwal on several conditions. Also, there is a discussion that Kejriwal has come out on bail, but he will not be able to sign any file. Clarifying these discussions, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that there is misinformation that the Chief Minister of Delhi cannot sign any file while being out on bail. He said that the apex court has not made any changes in the previous order passed on July 12 in the Money Laundering Prevention Act (PMLA) case.
Singhvi’s reaction came hours after the Supreme Court granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi liquor policy case. However, there was a difference of opinion among the judges on the legality of his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
‘Kejriwal does not have any department’
He said that there is misinformation going around that he (Arvind Kejriwal) cannot sign any file. Today’s order does not add a comma or a full stop to the order already passed on July 12 in the PMLA case. That order said that Kejriwal does not hold any portfolio.
Kejriwal’s lawyer told Aaj Tak that he doesn’t actually sign any files. He only signs the only category of files that are sent to the LG. And the Supreme Court’s July 12 order made a distinction that Kejriwal can sign all files that go to the LG and other files will be signed by ministers. It is politics to say that he can’t work. I would only say that an elected chief minister should not be removed using such tactics.
‘There will be no crisis on the governance of Delhi’
The senior lawyer also said that since Arvind Kejriwal is out of jail, there will be no crisis of governance in Delhi. Now that he is out of jail, his ministers are signing files and he can also sign files for the Lieutenant Governor, I do not think governance is an issue.
‘Will have to be present in trial court’
While granting bail to Arvind Kejriwal, a bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan retained only two bail conditions that he will appear before the trial court on every date of hearing unless he is exempted and will fully cooperate in the trial of the case. It was decided to remove the conditions that the Chief Minister cannot go to the Delhi Secretariat or sign files. However, the relief cannot be applied in this case, as a bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna had earlier imposed specific conditions on May 10 and July 12, 2024. It was made clear that any change or withdrawal of these conditions can be done only by a larger Constitution Bench.
these are the terms
- Kejriwal will not be allowed to enter the Chief Minister’s Office and Delhi Secretariat.
- He “will not sign official files unless it is necessary and essential to obtain the clearance/approval of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi”
- He would not comment on his role in the current matter.
- He will not interact with any witnesses in the case or have access to official case files.
- The chief minister will now have to approach the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to constitute a larger bench and seek a modification of these restrictions.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)