Delhi excise case: HC likely to pass order on Kejriwal’s plea challenging CBI arrest, seeking bail

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being brought to Rouse Avenue Court by CBI in connection with the Excise policy case, in New Delhi on June 29, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Delhi High Court is likely to pass order later in the day on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the CBI and seeking bail in the alleged excise policy scam case.

As the counsel for Mr. Kejriwal sought some clarity on when the order is expected, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna said it is likely to be pronounced at 2.30 p.m. on August 5.

The High Court had on July 17 reserved its order on Mr. Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the CBI in the corruption case stemming from the alleged excise policy scam.

The court had reserved the order on the AAP leader’s bail plea on July 29 after hearing arguments of the counsel for Mr. Kejriwal and CBI.

Challenging his arrest, Kejriwal’s counsel had contended that it was an “insurance arrest” to ensure that he stays in prison.

Calling his arrest a “sham”, Mr. Kejriwal’s lawyer had argued that the CBI did not want to arrest him and had no material to take him into custody, and the sequence of events made it clear that he was arrested to ensure that he remained in prison.

The counsel for the CBI had opposed both pleas of Mr. Kejriwal, and said terming his arrest an “insurance arrest” was unjustified and added that he was the ‘sutradhaar’ of the excise scam and there was evidence to show his involvement in the offence.

Mr. Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he is still lodged in judicial custody in a connected money laundering case filed by the ED.

The Chief Minister, who was arrested by the ED on March 21, was granted bail by the trial court in the money laundering case on June 20. However, the trial court’s order was stayed by the High Court.

On July 12, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Mr. Kejriwal in the money laundering case.

The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving the formulation and execution of the policy.

According to the CBI and the ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours extended to licence holders.