The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday refused to grant interim relief to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the ongoing corruption case linked to the excise policy scam, filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The court also issued a notice to the central investigative agency, stating that Kejriwal will remain in custody until August 23.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan heard the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader’s petitions challenging his arrest by the CBI and seeking bail. The hearing comes a day after the top court agreed to take up the case, following an urgent listing request made by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who is representing Kejriwal.
Earlier, on August 5, the Delhi High Court upheld the legality of Kejriwal’s arrest, dismissing his plea that challenged the arrest. The court ruled that the CBI had acted without malice and had justified reasons for the arrest, emphasizing that the evidence against Kejriwal was significant enough to warrant his detention.
The High Court’s judgment also highlighted concerns about Kejriwal’s influence over witnesses, noting that several witnesses only felt safe enough to testify after his arrest. “The control and influence he has over the witnesses is prima facie borne out from the fact that these witnesses could muster the courage to be a witness only after the arrest of the petitioner,” the High Court noted.
Furthermore, the court observed that Kejriwal is not an ordinary citizen, but a prominent political figure and a recipient of the Magsaysay Award, which added weight to the claims of witness intimidation.
The High Court also pointed out that the CBI had gathered sufficient evidence against the Delhi Chief Minister and had obtained the necessary sanctions in April 2024 before moving forward with the investigation. The court mentioned that the investigation extended beyond Delhi, with links to Punjab, where witnesses were initially reluctant to come forward due to Kejriwal’s influence.
Kejriwal was initially arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case related to the excise policy scam. He was granted bail by the trial court on June 20, but the High Court later stayed the trial court’s order. The Supreme Court had previously granted him interim bail in the money laundering case on July 12.
The excise policy in question was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi Lieutenant Governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption surrounding its formulation and implementation. The CBI and ED have both accused Kejriwal of modifying the excise policy to extend undue favors to license holders.
As the case continues, all eyes will be on the next court hearing scheduled for August 23, where Kejriwal’s fate will be further deliberated.
