Kejriwal to stay in jail for now; next hearing against arrest on April 29

The Supreme Court has also issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in response to Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest by the probe agency

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday said that it will hear Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea challenging his March 21 arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on April 29 in connection to a money laundering case linked to the liquor policy case. This follows the dismissal of the plea by the Delhi High Court on April 9.

The decision by the two-judge bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta came as it was hearing the plea today.

The court has issued a notice to the ED in response to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief's plea challenging his arrest by the probe agency. The case has been scheduled for further hearing on April 29.

"Issue notice. Returnable on April 24. Notice is accepted by the respondent who is presented in court with a caveat. Reply to be filed on or before April 24 and rejoinder on or before April 27," the two-judge bench added.

During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing on behalf of Kejriwal, said, "I am seeking a short date in this case, this Friday. There are selective leaks in the case."

In response, Justice Khanna said, "Will give you a short date, but the date suggested by you is not possible."

Singhvi also pointed out that Kejriwal was not mentioned in the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) or the chargesheet, citing 15 statements in support of his argument.

"The arrest was to disable me from campaigning," he said, citing Kejriwal as saying.

The 14-day judicial custody of Kejriwal, who is currently lodged at the Tihar Jail, will also end on Monday.

Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court on April 10, a day after the Delhi High Court dismissed his petition, alleging that he had "conspired with others" in the case.

At the Supreme Court, senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Delhi chief minister, argued that Kejriwal's "arrest and remand were based on an unreliable document suppressed from us."

The petition by the AAP national convenor also contends that his arrest was "motivated" and solely based on contradictory and "highly belated statements of co-accused" who have turned approvers.

Kejriwal's petition further sought his release and a declaration of his arrest as "illegal."

On April 9, while dismissing Kejriwal's plea, the Delhi High Court stated that he was "actively involved in using the proceeds of crime," according to materials provided by the ED.

The court further noted that Kejriwal was personally involved in formulating the now-scrapped liquor policy, allegedly demanding kickbacks, and as the national convenor of AAP, he participated in activities linked to the scandal.