Excise policy case: Supreme Court refuses Arvind Kejriwal’s plea for interim bail, issues notice to CBI | Delhi News
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday SC issued notice to the CBI on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s plea for interim bail in a corruption case stemming from the alleged excise policy scam.
An apex court bench of justice Surya Kant and justice Ujjal Bhuyan also issued notice to the central probe seeking its response by August 23.
The Supreme Court had agreed to hear Kejriwal’s bail plea following an urgent request by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is representing him.
During the hearing, Kejriwal’s counsel, Singhvi termed the CM’s arrest by the CBI, in June, as an “insurance arrest” as it was effected at a time when Kejriwal was on the cusp of getting bail in the more stringent ED case under the PMLA.
When Singhvi pleaded for interim bail to Kejriwal on health grounds, the SC bench refused. “We will not grant any interim relief,” the bench said.
Earlier, on August 5, the Delhi high court upheld Kejriwal’s arrest, ruling it lawful. The court found no malice in the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) actions, suggesting that Kejriwal’s influence could potentially deter witnesses from testifying.
The high court directed Kejriwal to seek regular bail from the trial court in the CBI case. It also acknowledged that the evidence collection loop against Kejriwal was completed post-arrest and that the CBI’s actions were justified and legal.
The court highlighted Kejriwal’s status as not just an ordinary citizen, but as a distinguished Magsaysay Award recipient and the convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party.
Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21, had been granted bail by the trial court in a money laundering case on June 20. However, the high court stayed the trial court’s bail order. Later, on July 12, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in the same case.
The excise policy in question was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities and corruption linked to its formulation and implementation. According to the CBI and ED, the policy was modified improperly, resulting in undue benefits being granted to certain license holders.
(With inputs from agencies)
