Kejriwal gets bail till June 1: Timeline of Delhi liquor policy case events

Arvind Kejriwal was granted an interim bail till June 1 in the Delhi liquor policy case by the Supreme Court in view of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the country

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday got interim bail till June 1 in the Delhi liquor policy case. The Supreme Court, citing elections as an “extraordinary” situation, ordered Kejriwal’s release to be able to take up campaigning for his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

In a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), the AAP hailed the court’s verdict and also took an indirect dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Truth alone triumphs. Now the dictatorship will end,” the party posted.

The AAP, along with its allies in the INDIA group of Opposition parties, has alleged “misuse” of central probe agencies under the Modi government, labelling the regime as “dictatorial” in its methods. The allegations intensified after Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Kejriwal were arrested in different cases.

Other than Kejriwal, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha are also lodged in Tihar jail concerning the case.

A timeline of key events in the Delhi liquor policy case:

November 2021: Delhi government introduces new excise policy.

July 2022: Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommends a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the policy, citing irregularities in its execution.

August 2022: CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) register cases in connection with alleged irregularities.

September 2022: Kejriwal government scraps excise policy amid controversy.

February 2023: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia arrested by the ED on February 26

October 30, 2023: Kejriwal summoned by the ED in the money laundering case for the first time.

December 2023: ED issues two more summonses to Kejriwal for questioning on December 21 and January 3.

January 2023: Two more summonses are sent to Kejriwal by ED. He was asked to appear for interrogation on January 18 and February 2.

October 2023: AAP MP Sanjay Singh arrested in connection with the case on October 4.

February 3, 2024: Probe agency filed complaint against Delhi CM for skipping summons.

February 7: Magistrate’s court summons Kejriwal on ED’s complaint.

February 2024: More ED summons issued to Kejriwal for questioning on February 19, February 26 and March 4.  

March 7, 2024: Magistrate’s court issues summons to Kejriwal on ED’s fresh complaint for evading summonses.

March 15, 2024: Sessions court refuses to stay proceedings against Kejriwal for skipping summons. BRS leader K Kavitha is arrested by the probe agency.

March 16, 2024: Magistrate’s court grants bail to Kejriwal in the ED’s complaints against him for skipping summons after he appears before it.

March 21, 2024: HC refuses to grant protection from arrest to Kejriwal on his petition challenging the summonses issued to him. The ED arrests Kejriwal later.

March 23, 2024: Kejriwal moves Delhi HC challenging his arrest by ED and the trial court order remanding him in agency’s custody.

April 2, 2024: AAP leader Sanjay Singh granted bail by the Supreme Court.

April 9, 2024: The Delhi HC dismisses Kejriwal’s petition against arrest by the ED.

May 10, 2024: The SC grants interim bail to Kejriwal till June 1.

(With PTI inputs)