In a high-profile legal battle, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal found himself at the centre of a controversy linked to the liquor scam. His journey through jail and bail was marked by a series of summonses, court orders, and legal challenges.
The story began in December 2023 when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued summonses to Kejriwal, asking him to appear for questioning. Kejriwal refused to comply, calling the summons politically motivated. Over the next few months, the ED issued more summonses, but Kejriwal skipped all of them, claiming that they were illegal. This led the ED to file a complaint against him before a magisterial court in February 2024.
Despite repeated summons, Kejriwal continued to ignore them. He faced fresh summons in March and February, but each time, he failed to appear. His legal team argued that the summonses were not valid, leading to frustration on both sides. In March 2024, the magisterial court granted Kejriwal bail after he finally appeared in court.
However, the legal troubles for Kejriwal escalated when, on March 21, the ED arrested him in connection with the money laundering case related to the excise policy. He became the first sitting Chief Minister to be arrested. This shocked many, and Kejriwal challenged his arrest in the Delhi High Court, but his petition was dismissed on April 9, 2024. Kejriwal did not give up, and by April 10, he moved to the Supreme Court.
In the Supreme Court, Kejriwal argued that his arrest was illegal and an attack on democracy. On April 24, 2024, the ED presented evidence claiming that Kejriwal had led investigators to believe that he was guilty of money laundering. Despite his defence, the court was not convinced and questioned his failure to appear before the ED despite multiple summons.
In early May 2024, Kejriwal received some relief when the Supreme Court granted him interim bail, allowing him to campaign in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This bail, however, came with a condition that he would have to return to jail after June 1, 2024.
True to the court's order, Kejriwal returned to Tihar Jail on June 2, 2024, after his 21-day interim bail expired. Yet, his legal battle was far from over. The Delhi trial court refused to grant him interim bail on medical grounds on June 5, 2024. The legal twists continued, and on June 20, 2024, Kejriwal was granted bail in the money laundering case, but this was challenged by the ED.
In a dramatic turn, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy corruption case on June 26, 2024. On July 12, 2024, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail again, in connection with the ED's case. The Delhi High Court upheld the CBI's arrest decision, but Kejriwal continued his fight in the Supreme Court.
Finally, on September 13, 2024, Kejriwal's long legal journey ended when the Supreme Court granted him bail in the CBI case, with a bond of Rs 10 lakh. The court also instructed him not to make any public comments about the case. Kejriwal's time in legal limbo came to an end, but his political and legal struggles continued, leaving the future uncertain.
Timeline of Arvind Kejriwal's Legal Battle in the Liquor Scam Case
December 2023: ED summons Kejriwal for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the liquor scam.
February 2024: ED files a complaint after Kejriwal repeatedly skips summons.
March 2024: The Magisterial Court grants Kejriwal bail, but he is later arrested by the ED.
April 2024: Kejriwal’s arrest petition is dismissed by the Delhi High Court; Supreme Court grants interim bail for election campaigning.
June 2024: Kejriwal returns to jail after interim bail expires; later, a Delhi court grants him bail in the ED case.
June 26, 2024: CBI arrests Kejriwal in a related excise policy corruption case.
September 2024: Supreme Court grants bail in the CBI case, with restrictions on public comments.
Post-September 2024: Legal and political challenges persist, leaving Kejriwal’s future uncertain.
Hemant Soren Arrested in Land Scam, Granted Bail, Returns as Jharkhand CM
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren was arrested on January 31, 2024, by the ED in connection with a money laundering case linked to a land scam. The ED accused the Chief Minister of Jharkhand of manipulating records and forging documents to acquire 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi, valued at crores of rupees.
The investigation into the land scam had been ongoing for months, with Soren facing multiple summons from the ED. On January 16, 2024, the ED issued its eighth summons to Soren, requesting him to record his statement. Soren met with the agency on January 20, where his statement was recorded for the first time regarding the case.
Following this, the ED issued another summons on January 23, asking Soren to appear between January 27-30. Soren went untraceable for two days, sparking a political stir. On January 29, a team of ED officials visited his residence in Delhi, but Soren soon appeared in Ranchi, where he convened a meeting with legislators from the ruling JMM-led coalition. He denied claims of going "missing" in the wake of the ED raids and questioning.
Despite not fully complying with the summons, the ED took Soren into custody on January 31, 2024, after questioning. He resigned from his position as Chief Minister, paving the way for Champai Soren to step in as his successor.
After months of legal proceedings, Soren was granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court on June 28, 2024. On July 3, 2024, Champai Soren resigned as Chief Minister and Hemant Soren staked his claim to form a new government in Jharkhand. The arrest and subsequent legal battle had a significant impact on Soren’s return to state politics.
Hemant Soren clinched a spectacular victory in the Barhait assembly constituency, securing a hat-trick win after his successes in 2014 and 2019. On November 28, 2024, he was sworn in once again as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
Timeline of Hemant Soren's Arrest and Legal Battle
January 16, 2024: ED issues its 8th summons to Hemant Soren, asking him to record a statement in the land scam case.
January 20, 2024: Soren appears before the ED for questioning, marking his first cooperation in the case.
January 27-29, 2024: Soren fails to comply with the new summons and goes untraceable, sparking political controversy.
January 31, 2024: ED arrests Soren, leading to his resignation as Chief Minister. Champai Soren is named as his successor.
June 28, 2024: Soren is granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court after months of legal proceedings.
July 3, 2024: Hemant Soren's political journey shifts as Champai Soren resigns, paving the way for him to reclaim leadership and form a new government.
November 28, 2024: After securing a hat-trick win in the Barhait assembly segment, Hemant Soren returns as Jharkhand’s Chief Minister yet again.
