Arvind Kejriwal walks out of Tihar jail: A chronology of events in Delhi excise policy case

On March 21, the Delhi High Court had refused to grant protection from arrest to Kejriwal on his petition challenging summonses issued to him. ED arrested him soon after.

Following is the chronology of events in the Delhi excise policy-linked money-laundering case in which the Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal till June 1 to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections:

* November 2021: Delhi government introduces new excise policy.

* July 2022: Lt Governor VK Saxena recommends Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities in formulation and implementation of policy.

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

* September 2022: Delhi government scraps excise policy.

* October 30, 2023: ED sends first summons to Kejriwal in money-laundering case for appearance on November 2.

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

* January 2024: Two more summonses sent to Kejriwal by ED for January 18 and February 2.

* February 3: ED files complaint against Kejriwal before magisterial court for skipping summonses.

* February 7: Magisterial court summons Kejriwal on ED complaint.

* February: ED issues summonses for appearance of Kejriwal on February 19, February 26 and March 4.

* March 7: Magisterial court issues summons to Kejriwal on ED's fresh complaint against him for evading summonses.

* March 15: Sessions court refuses to stay proceedings against Kejriwal for skipping summons.

* March 16: Magisterial court grants bail to Kejriwal in ED's complaints against him for skipping summons after he appears before it.

* March 21: Delhi HC refuses to grant protection from arrest to Kejriwal on his petition challenging summonses issued to him. ED arrests Kejriwal shortly after.

* March 23: Kejriwal moves Delhi HC challenging his arrest by ED and trial court order remanding him in agency's custody.

* April 9: HC dismisses Kejriwal's petition against arrest by ED.

* April 10: Kejriwal moves SC challenging HC order upholding his arrest by ED.

* April 15: SC seeks response from ED by April 24 on Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest.

* April 24: ED tells SC that Kejriwal led investigating officer through his conduct "to form the satisfaction" that he is guilty of money laundering.

* April 27: Kejriwal tells SC that his "illegal arrest" in case constitutes an unprecedented assault on tenets of democracy based on "free and fair elections" and "federalism".

* April 29: SC questions non-appearance of Kejriwal before ED despite repeated summonses for recording of statements, and asks if he can challenge arrest on grounds of non-recording of his version.

* May 3: SC says it may consider granting interim bail to Kejriwal in view of ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

* May 8: SC says it will pronounce order on interim bail to Kejriwal on May 10.

* May 10: SC grants interim bail to Kejriwal till June 1, says he will have to surrender and go back to jail on June 2.

* May 10: Kejriwal walks out of jail.