Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on June 21 criticised the Delhi High Court for reserving the trail court's order granting bail to Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case linked to the excise policy scam.
Drawing comparison to the recent order by the Karnataka High Court halting arrest of former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa, the senior advocate said it is strange how leaders are treated differently by the judiciary.
"It is strange that police were restrained by a court from arresting former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa, while Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren -- both arrested in separate cases -- were being treated like any 'Tom, Dick or Harry'," Sibal said.
Earlier this month, the Karnataka HC restrained the police from arresting Yediyurappa in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case. While passing the order, the court had reportedly said he is a former CM and not some Tom, Dick and Harry.
In a post on X, Sibal said, "Judge: Granted anticipatory bail in alleged sexual abuse case to Yediurappa saying: He is no Tom, Dick or Harry. HD Ravanna granted bail in alleged kidnapping case." "Arvind Kejriwal, Hemant Soren regarded as Tom, Dick or Harry! Strange," the senior advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association president said.
The high court has also issued a notice to Kejriwal seeking his response on ED's plea challenging the trial court's June 20 order by which he was granted bail.
"Till the pronouncement of this order, the operation of the impugned order shall remain stayed," a vacation bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain said.
The court said it was reserving the order for 2-3 days as it wanted to go through the entire records.
The application for stay was vehemently opposed by senior advocates Abhishek Singhvi and Vikram Chaudhari, representing Kejriwal. They said Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution does not exist for the ED for which the liberty of a person figured low in priority.
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