Delhi HC asks CBI to answer Kejriwal's plea against arrest in excise scam

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the CBI to respond to a plea by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest in a corruption case related to the excise policy 'scam'.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and asked it to file its reply within seven days.

The high court said Kejriwal's counsel may file rejoinder, if any, within two days thereafter.

It listed the matter for arguments on July 17.

Besides his arrest, the AAP national convener has also challenged the trial court's June 26 and June 29 orders by which he was remanded to three-day CBI custody. After the three-day custodial interrogation, the CBI had requested for 14 additional days of judicial custody.

Kejriwal, 55, was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he was in judicial custody in a connected money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). CBI had claimed that the Delhi CM did not co-operate with the investigation giving evasive replies. The agency also apprehended that he could 'influence' the witnesses.
 

The trial court had refused to call Kejriwal's arrest as illegal as sought by the defense counsel. It granted the AAP chief bail in the money-laundering case on June 20, but the High Court upheld the trial court's order.

The ED had arrested the Delhi CM in March on charges of money laundering and use of allegedly tainted funds.