Supreme Court Criticizes CBI Over Kejriwal's Arrest

Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan criticized the CBI for the 'unjustified' arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, calling for the agency to shed its 'caged parrot' image. The judge questioned the timing of the arrest, aimed at frustrating Kejriwal's bail in the ED case, and emphasized fairness in investigations.

Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Friday criticized the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for the 'unjustified' arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He highlighted flaws in the premier agency's actions regarding the corruption case tied to the excise policy 'scam.'

In his separate concurring judgement to grant bail to the AAP leader, Justice Bhuyan questioned the timing of Kejriwal's arrest, suggesting it was aimed at frustrating his release in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case. He stressed the agency's need to shed its 'caged parrot' image to ensure public trust.

Justice Bhuyan emphasized that the CBI should be perceived as an unbiased and fair investigative body. His concerns were echoed by Justice Surya Kant, who noted the importance of maintaining public confidence in CBI's operations. The excise policy, scrapped in 2022, had led to allegations of corruption and undue favours to license holders, necessitating a CBI investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)