Supreme Court Asks CBI to Respond on Kejriwal Bail Pleas in Corruption Case

Supreme Court seeks CBI's response on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's bail plea related to alleged excise policy scam. Interim bail denied; response due by August 23. High Court previously upheld Kejriwal's arrest citing sufficient evidence.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bail pleas and his challenge to the Delhi High Court's decision affirming his arrest in a corruption case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan have requested a response from the CBI by August 23 while denying interim bail for Kejriwal.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, argued for interim bail on health grounds, but the bench firmly responded, "We are not granting any interim bail. We issue notice." Singhvi pointed out that Kejriwal had secured interim bail on three previous occasions in a money laundering case under the stringent Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He questioned why Kejriwal was being denied regular bail in the CBI case when the Prevention of Corruption Act lacked similar harsh conditions, terming Kejriwal's arrest by the CBI an "insurance arrest."

The Supreme Court was reviewing Kejriwal's plea against his arrest and a separate bail request. Earlier, on August 5, the Delhi High Court had upheld the legality of Kejriwal's arrest, citing sufficient evidence and proper sanction by April 2024 for the CBI to continue its probe. The High Court stated there was no malice in the CBI's actions, noting that witness testimonies were influenced by Kejriwal's arrest. Kejriwal, a Magsaysay Award recipient and Aam Aadmi Party convenor, was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21, 2024, over money laundering allegations related to the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22. He was later arrested by the CBI on June 26, 2024, while in ED custody.

(With inputs from agencies.)