Delhi CM's release on hold for now as HC puts interim stay on bail

The High Court is likely to pronounce its order on June 25

A day after the trial court granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi High Court directed an interim stay on the order, delaying his release from Tihar jail. The High Court is likely to pronounce its order on June 25.

"I am reserving the order for two to three days. Till pronouncement of the order, the operation of the trial court order is stayed," Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain said.

The AAP national convenor, arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), could have walked out of Tihar jail on Friday had the High Court not granted interim relief to the central anti-money laundering agency.

The vacation bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain asked the parties to file written submissions by June 24. The order came after the ED moved the High Court, challenging the trial court order. The court's direction came hours before the AAP supremo was to be released from Tihar Jail.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, representing the ED, contended that the trial court's order was "perverse," "one-sided," and "wrong-sided," arguing that the findings were based on irrelevant facts. He claimed that the relevant facts were not considered by the special judge.

"Material facts were not considered by the trial court.

There cannot be a better case for cancellation of bail than this one. There cannot be greater perversity than this," he argued.

Seeking a stay on the trial court's order, he contended that the ED was not given adequate opportunity to argue its case.