New Delhi – The Supreme Court is set to review Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s appeals on Thursday, challenging his detention by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and seeking bail. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan is expected to hear the case.
On August 23, the Supreme Court permitted the CBI to submit a counter affidavit and granted Kejriwal two days to file a rejoinder. Kejriwal’s legal team has submitted two petitions—one contesting his bail denial and the other challenging his arrest. These petitions question an August 5 decision by the Delhi High Court that upheld his detention. The Delhi High Court’s ruling supported the legality of the arrest and stated that the CBI demonstrated credible evidence of potential witness tampering by Kejriwal.
Kejriwal was apprehended by the CBI on June 26. Earlier, on August 14, the Supreme Court had denied him interim bail but requested a response from the CBI regarding his arrest. The Delhi High Court’s August 5 ruling reaffirmed the arrest, indicating that the evidence collected post-arrest justified the action and dismissed claims of malice. The High Court acknowledged Kejriwal’s prominent status as a recipient of the Magsaysay Award and leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, but emphasized that the arrest was necessitated by credible evidence and the need to protect witness testimony.
Previously, Kejriwal was also arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21, though he was granted bail by the trial court on June 20. This bail order was later stayed by the High Court, and the Supreme Court granted him interim bail on July 12.
The controversy centers on alleged discrepancies in the excise policy instituted in 2022, which was annulled following a CBI investigation into supposed irregularities and favoritism in the policy’s implementation and management.
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