The Supreme Court has reportedly reserved its verdict while hearing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s bail petition on Thursday. His judicial custody has been extended until Tuesday when the court will hear the matter again.
The court is hearing two petitions, one seeking bail and another challenging his arrest by the CBI in the excise policy case. Kejriwal also challenged the August 5 order of the Delhi High Court upholding his arrest.
Appearing for the chief minister on Thursday, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi reportedly told a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan that every other co-accused, including Manish Sisodia and Vjiay Nair, had been released.
Appearing for the CBI, additional solicitor general SV Raju objected to the bail plea saying the sessions court was not approached first.
The Supreme Court had in July granted interim bail to Kejriwal in a money laundering case that was filed by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the excise policy case. Kejriwal remained in Tihar jail as he was also arrested by the CBI over corruption charges linked to alleged excise policy scam on June 25.
The court had earlier granted interim bail to Kejriwal till June 1 to enable him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
Kejriwal was first arrested by the ED in the liquor policy case on March 21. The arrest had come weeks before the general elections, and after at least nine ED summons. The central agency had reached the Delhi CM’s residence hours after the Delhi High Court had denied any interim protection to Kejriwal in the liquor policy case. In the run up to the arrest, several AAP leaders had alleged a “big conspiracy” against the Delhi CM.
In the subsequent court proceedings, the ED had termed Kejriwal the “kingpin” of the alleged liquor scam.
Newslaundry has extensively reported on Kejriwal's arrest and the alleged liquor scam. Read here.
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