The Supreme Court of India has reserved its judgment in a significant case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal has filed petitions seeking release from custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Delhi excise policy.
The case was heard extensively on Thursday, September 5, 2024, by a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan. The Supreme Court is now deliberating on the arguments presented by both sides before issuing its final verdict.
Kejriwal’s legal team is challenging an August 5th order from the Delhi High Court that dismissed his plea against arrest by the CBI. The High Court, while dismissing the plea, did allow Kejriwal to approach the trial court for bail.
The Supreme Court is also considering another petition by Kejriwal challenging the High Court’s refusal to entertain his bail application. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader’s legal team, represented by senior Advocate Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, contends that the High Court has concurrent jurisdiction and that sending the case back to the trial court would be an exercise in futility.
The CBI, represented by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, argued that granting bail to Kejriwal would demoralize the High Court. However, Justice Bhuyan reportedly expressed disagreement with this argument.
The case has garnered significant attention due to the high-profile nature of the accused, Arvind Kejriwal, who is the only key political figure currently in custody in connection with the excise policy case.
In recent months, several other individuals involved in the case have been released on bail. These include former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislator K Kavitha, and Vijay Nair, the former communication in-charge of the Aam Aadmi Party. Sanjay Singh, another AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member, was granted bail in April 2024.
Kejriwal’s initial arrest came in March 2024 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He was later arrested by the CBI on June 26, 2024, while already in ED custody for the alleged money laundering case related to the liquor policy scam.
In July 2024, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in the money laundering case, but referred his petition challenging the ED arrest to a larger bench. However, he remained in judicial custody due to his arrest by the CBI.
The Supreme Court’s decision on Kejriwal’s petitions will have significant implications for the ongoing investigation into the Delhi excise policy and the political landscape of Delhi.
