CBI arrests CM Arvind Kejriwal in excise policy case; SC to hear bail plea

Delhi excise policy case: CBI arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal; Supreme Court granted Kejriwal permission to withdraw his petition and submit a new one challenging the Delhi HC decision

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Wednesday, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the excise policy case.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal was produced before Special Judge Amitabh Rawat at the Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi, where the CBI sought his custody for investigation.

On Tuesday, the probe agency questioned the AAP leader at Tihar Jail and recorded his statement regarding the excise policy case.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, on Wednesday, is scheduled to hear CM Kejriwal’s petition challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision to temporarily halt his bail in the money laundering case related to the liquor excise policy.

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court stayed Kejriwal’s bail following a trial court’s decision, saying that the trial court did not confirm compliance with both conditions under Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before issuing the contested order. The court said that the vacation judge had inadequately assessed the pertinent documents presented by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Kejriwal has been in custody since March 21, aside from a short interim release by the Supreme Court for election campaigning.

SC allows Delhi CM to withdraw plea, file new one

The Supreme Court granted Delhi CM Kejriwal permission to withdraw his petition and submit a new one challenging the recent Delhi High Court decision denying bail on June 25, as well as the earlier interim stay on his release granted on June 21 in the ED case.

On June 1, the chief minister had moved the Delhi court seeking interim bail. Following this, on June 2, he surrendered at the Tihar jail.

On June 5, the court denied interim bail to Delhi CM Kejriwal on medical grounds.

On June 20, the Delhi court finally granted regular bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case connected to the now-scrapped liquor policy. However, a day later on June 21, the ED moved the Delhi High Court opposing CM Kejriwal’s release. The high court then blocked Kejriwal’s bail.

[With agency inputs]