Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said on Friday that it is an old habit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to claim “Satyamev Jayate” (truth alone triumphs) when orders of the court are in their favour, but to question the same judicial system when they go against them.

Sachdeva was reacting to AAP’s comments on the Delhi High Court stay on the trial court order granting bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.

Advertisement

Commenting on the statements made by AAP leaders, the Delhi BJP president said they excel in spreading confusion, “but there is one fact that is clear to all of us, the order of the Delhi High Court is still in operation, which found that the arrest of the chief minister was legally correct and that he had a personal role in receiving crores of rupees in kickbacks in the liquor policy”.

He affirmed that the country’s judiciary is independent and works in an unbiased manner based on facts.

Sachdeva further said that it would be better if the AAP leaders understood the judicial system before hastily commenting on judicial decisions. “Generally, every investigative agency challenges the bail granted to the accused, and this is what is happening in Arvind Kejriwal’s case,” he added.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court said it would pass the order on the ED plea in two to three days.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenged the order of Rouse Avenue Court dated June 20, 2024, granting bail to Kejriwal.

In its order, the trial court had said that the ED failed to give any direct evidence against the applicant (Kejriwal) in respect of the proceeds of crime.

The ED, in its petition, said the June 20 order granting regular bail to Kejriwal was passed without adequate hearing and without considering the facts of the present case. All the courts up to the Supreme Court have given judicial imprimatur to the fact that the offence of money laundering has been committed and hence regular bail in the light of the mandatory twin conditions under Section 45 of the PMLA could not have been granted.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case relating to alleged irregularities in the now-canceled Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

The Delhi chief minister was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10 in view of Lok Sabha polls and was told to surrender on June 2. He was asked not to visit the Office of the Chief Minister and the Delhi Secretariat.

The Delhi High Court earlier dismissed his plea for release from jail and rejected his contention of political vendetta amid the Lok Sabha elections.