On Wednesday, the Supreme Court observed that it cannot grant immediate interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is seeking release from jail in connection with a corruption case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concerning the excise policy.
Court Issues Notice to CBI
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan issued a notice to the CBI regarding Kejriwal’s pleas, which challenge the Delhi High Court’s August 5 ruling that upheld his arrest and denied him bail. The case is scheduled to be heard next on August 23.
Kejriwal Challenges Arrest and Remand Orders
In his plea, filed shortly after the Supreme Court granted bail to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in a related investigation by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED), Kejriwal has contested his arrest and remand orders, while also seeking bail.
Plea Based on Sisodia Verdict
Kejriwal’s petition, submitted on Monday, critiques the Delhi High Court’s August 5 judgment, which found his arrest to be legally justified based on sufficient evidence provided by the CBI. His plea draws heavily from the Sisodia case verdict, where the Supreme Court determined that Sisodia’s prolonged detention of 17 months, with no imminent trial, violated his fundamental right to liberty and a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution.
AAP Chief’s Argument for Bail
Kejriwal’s petition argues that the same reasons for granting bail to Sisodia should apply to him as well.
Details of the Case Against Kejriwal
Kejriwal has been in custody since March 21 following his arrest by the ED, with a 21-day interim bail granted in May by the Supreme Court for Lok Sabha election campaigning. On July 12, the apex court granted him interim bail in the ED case, acknowledging his over 90 days in detention. However, he remained in custody due to his arrest by the CBI on June 26 in the same case.
Background of the Excise Policy Case
The case against Kejriwal involves allegations of irregularities in Delhi’s now-defunct excise policy for 2021-22, which the CBI began investigating following a recommendation by Delhi’s lieutenant governor in July 2022. Kejriwal is the third AAP leader to be arrested in this matter. Sisodia was detained since February 2023 before being released on August 9, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was granted bail by the Supreme Court in April after six months in custody.
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