Delhi Excise Policy: Court Extends Judicial Custody of Arvind Kejriwal till Aug 20

Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday (August 8) extended the judicial custody of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal until August 20 in connection with a corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) related to the alleged excise scam.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended Kejriwal’s custody after he was produced before the court via video conference.

The court is set to consider a supplementary charge sheet filed by the CBI against Kejriwal in the case on August 12.

On August 5th, the Delhi High Court upheld the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, directing him to seek relief and bail from the trial court. The High Court, while rejecting Kejriwal’s bail plea, noted that his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was justified.

The AAP convenor moved the Delhi High Court to dismiss the CBI proceedings against him and secure his release from judicial custody. He also contested the trial court’s ruling that his CBI arrest was lawful.

The Delhi CM is currently facing arrests from two investigative agencies: the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI. The ED arrested Kejriwal in March after he failed to respond to nine summonses. The CBI apprehended him in June in connection with a case related to the Delhi excise policy. Both agencies are probing allegations against the AAP leader concerning the same scam.

The Supreme Court, on July 12, granted interim bail to Kejriwal in a money laundering case associated with the Delhi excise policy scam. The excise policy, which was revoked in 2022, came under scrutiny following an order from the Delhi lieutenant governor for a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities and corruption.

As per the CBI and the ED, the excise policy was altered improperly, with undue advantages granted to license holders.

Before Arvind Kejriwal, other prominent AAP members, including Sanjay Singh and Manish Sisodia, were also arrested in connection with the excise policy scam. Sanjay Singh was granted bail in November 2023, while former Delhi Deputy Minister Sisodia remains in custody.

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