In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of India has refused to grant interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with a corruption case involving the alleged excise policy scam. The bench, consisting of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, issued a notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in response to Kejriwal’s challenge against the Delhi High Court’s decision to uphold his arrest.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, had requested interim bail, but the court stated, “We are not granting any interim bail. We will issue notice.” The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for August 23.
On August 5, the Delhi High Court had upheld Kejriwal’s arrest, deeming it legal and finding no evidence of malice in the CBI’s actions. The court acknowledged the CBI’s argument that Kejriwal’s position might have influenced witnesses, delaying their testimonies until after his arrest.
The controversy centers around the excise policy, which was scrapped in 2022 following a CBI investigation initiated by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor. The probe scrutinized alleged irregularities and corruption in the formulation and implementation of the policy. The CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have alleged that the policy’s modification involved irregularities and undue benefits granted to license holders.
