Delhi Excise Scam: No Immediate Interim Bail for Arvind Kejriwal from Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to grant interim bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with a corruption case filed by the CBI related to the alleged excise policy scam.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan issued a notice to the CBI regarding the plea filed by Kejriwal, challenging the Delhi High Court’s order that upheld his arrest by the investigating agency.

“We are not granting any interim bail. We will issue notice,” the bench informed senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who appeared on behalf of Kejriwal.

The matter has been now scheduled for further hearing on August 23, 2024.

The Delhi High Court, on August 5, upheld the legality of the chief minister’s arrest, stating that there was no malice in the actions of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The court noted that the arrest was justified, as it demonstrated the AAP leader’s potential to influence witnesses who only found the courage to testify after his detention.

The excise policy was repealed in 2022 following an order by the Delhi lieutenant governor for a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities and corruption linked to its formulation and implementation. The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have asserted that irregularities occurred during the modification of the excise policy, with undue favours being granted to license holders.

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