The Delhi High Court has granted bail to Chanpreet Singh Rayat, who was implicated in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise scam during the 2022 Goa assembly polls. Rayat, who managed cash transactions for AAP’s campaign, has also been recognized as a freelancer who previously worked with various political parties, including BJP and TMC.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, presiding over the case, noted that the claims of Rayat spending part of the proceeds of crime must be substantiated with cogent evidence during the trial. The court stated, “Merely because he spent a certain amount, the source of which is not certain, for the campaigning events in the election of Goa, it cannot be said that there is a strong case against the petitioner.”
The allegations against Rayat involved managing Rs 45 crore, purportedly part of the proceeds of crime. However, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will need to prove these allegations in trial. The court emphasized the necessity of proving through substantial evidence that the funds utilized by Rayat were indeed proceeds of crime and that he was aware of their illicit origin.
The court’s decision to grant bail was influenced by several factors including the weak nature of the case against him as observed in the predicate offense and the lengthy duration Rayat could face in incarceration before the conclusion of the trial. Rayat was required to post a bail bond of Rs 5 lakh with one surety of the like amount.
Justice Krishna also highlighted the fundamental right to liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution, stating, “Bail is the rule and refusal is an exception.” The court took into account the voluminous nature of the case documents, totaling approximately 69,000 pages, and the extensive list of 493 witnesses to be examined.
