The Supreme Court of India has adjourned the hearing on a petition filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. The court, led by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, will resume the hearing on September 5.
Kejriwal’s petition challenges an order passed by the Delhi High Court on August 5. The High Court had dismissed Kejriwal’s plea against his arrest, although allowing him to approach the trial court for bail. The petition contends that the High Court’s decision was erroneous and should be overturned.
The CBI has maintained that Kejriwal was involved in a criminal conspiracy related to the alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy. They argue that the actions of Manish Sisodia, a former minister in the Delhi government, were taken at the behest of Kejriwal. The agency told the Supreme Court that Kejriwal was attempting to sensationalize the case politically.
The Supreme Court granted the CBI time to file a counter-affidavit in response to Kejriwal’s petition. The CBI was also given time to file a reply in another related plea.
Kejriwal’s arrest by the CBI occurred on June 26, while he was already in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a separate money laundering case related to the liquor policy scam. While the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in the ED case on July 12, he remained in judicial custody due to the CBI arrest.