GUWAHATI: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal moved the Supreme Court on Monday, August 12 seeking release from jail in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.
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He is under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case.
Kejriwal has challenged his arrest while attacking the Delhi high court’s August 5 judgment ruling that his arrest was neither illegal nor without justifiable grounds because the CBI presented “evidently enough evidence” to warrant his detention and remand.
Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud asked senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi and CU Singh to send an email request after they mentioned the matter for an urgent listing.
The AAP chief was formally arrested by CBI on June 26, while he was in custody of the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case arising out of the alleged liquor policy scam.
Weeks later, on July 12, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in the money laundering case. However, he continued to remain in judicial custody due to his arrest by the CBI.
Kejriwal then moved the Delhi High Court. On August 5, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna dismissed his plea challenging CBI arrest, but insofar as bail was concerned, liberty was given to approach the trial Court.
Aggrieved by the High Court order, Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court.
Senior Advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, called the CBI arrest an “insurance arrest” and argued that it was an afterthought to the interim bail granted by the Supreme Court in the ED case on May 10.
He further contended that the liquor policy was not only signed by Kejriwal, but also by then Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, and going by that logic, the former LG and the bureaucrats involved in the process also ought to be made accused.
The senior counsel also emphasised that despite the top court's grant of interim bail in the ED case, Kejriwal was back to square one because of the insurance arrest. “Because those who want it, by hook or by crook, he is behind bars,” he commented.
On the other hand, CBI Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh argued that Kejriwal was the “sutradhar” of the “entire scam” and there was direct evidence to show his involvement. He further pleaded that the trial court has already given a finding that the arrest was not illegal and thus, the probe agency has passed the stage of legality of arrest in the court below.
