The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stance of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the bail plea in a corruption case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. A single bench of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna issued a notice to the central probe agency regarding Kejriwal’s bail plea and scheduled the matter for July 17, 2024.
Appearing for the AAP national convenor, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi argued that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is neither a flight risk nor a terrorist, and noted that the CBI arrested him shortly after he was granted bail in the ED’s money laundering case.
In response, advocate DP Singh representing the CBI objected to Arvind Kejriwal’s direct approach to the High Court without first filing the bail plea before the trial court. On June 26, the CBI apprehended Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal from Tihar Jail, where he remains in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case filed by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED).
Initially, Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 but was later granted bail by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court in the excise scam case. However, a few days later, the Delhi High Court stayed the trial court’s bail order.
The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi Lieutenant Governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving the formulation and execution of the policy. Both the CBI and ED have reported that irregularities were made while modifying the excise policy and undue favors were extended to license holders.
