Supreme Court Grants Bail to Arvind Kejriwal in Excise Policy Scam Case

The Supreme Court granted bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case concerning the excise policy scam, emphasizing that prolonged incarceration is an unjust deprivation of liberty. Previously, the Delhi High Court upheld Kejriwal’s arrest, citing sufficient evidence. Kejriwal's arrest stemmed from alleged irregularities in the 2021-22 excise policy.

In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had been implicated in a corruption case connected to the excise policy scam. The court underscored that prolonged incarceration amounts to an unjust deprivation of liberty.

The apex court had reserved its verdict on September 5 after hearing arguments from both Kejriwal's legal team and the CBI. During the proceedings, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the CBI, raised objections regarding Kejriwal's direct approach for bail to the Delhi High Court, bypassing the trial court.

The Delhi High Court had earlier upheld the legality of Kejriwal's arrest on August 5, stating that his arrest followed the collection of sufficient evidence and proper sanctions in April 2024. The court did not find any malice in the actions of the CBI and highlighted concerns about Kejriwal's potential influence over witnesses. Kejriwal was initially taken into custody by the ED on March 21, 2024, related to a money laundering investigation linked to the now-cancelled 2021-22 excise policy.

(With inputs from agencies.)