The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s petitions seeking bail and challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged excise policy scam case.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan heard the final arguments from both sides. Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju represented the CBI, while senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi appeared on behalf of Kejriwal. After the arguments concluded, the bench said, “Thank you for the assistance. Judgment reserved.”
Kejriwal, who was arrested by the CBI on June 26, has filed two separate petitions: one challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision to deny him bail and the other contesting the legality of his arrest in connection with the corruption case.
On August 5, the Delhi High Court ruled that Kejriwal’s arrest was lawful, rejecting claims of malice by the CBI and agreeing with the agency’s argument that his detention was necessary to prevent the influencing of witnesses in the investigation.
The alleged scam stems from irregularities and corruption tied to the formulation and execution of Delhi’s excise policy, which was scrapped in 2022 following an order for a CBI probe by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor. The CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) allege that undue favours were extended to license holders in the modified policy.
(With agency inputs)
