No Interim Bail For Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal By Supreme Court

The Supreme Court today refused interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case linked to the national capital's now scrapped liquor policy. The court sought the CBI's reply on the Aam Aadmi Party leader's bail plea and posted the matter for August 23.

Arguing for Mr Kejriwal, Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi told the bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan that it is a "strange situation". He said Mr Kejriwal was granted interim bail in a Prevention of Money Laundering Case (PMLA) on May 10. "He then got interim bail from Supreme Court in July. He was granted bail in a CBI case by the lower court. In this way, three bail orders were given," Mr Singhvi said, terming the AAP leader's imprisonment "insurance arrest".

The arrest of Mr Kejriwal by the CBI, 1 year and 10 months after the case was registered, was not tenable in law and smacked of mala fide, the senior lawyer told the court. "We have filed for interim bail. He will easily pass the triple test," he said.

The Supreme Court, however, refused to give any interim relief. "Don't say interim bail, we will not give interim bail," the court said.

Earlier, on August 5, Delhi High Court upheld the arrest of the Chief Minister and said there was no malice in the acts of the CBI and that the agency had demonstrated how the AAP leader could influence witnesses.

The Delhi Liquor Policy, introduced in November 2021, was withdrawn in September next year amid allegations of corruption. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered a CBI probe into the policy. The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have alleged that AAP leaders, among others, committed irregularities and extended undue favours to licence holders after the new policy was implemented.

Besides Mr Kejriwal, top AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh had been arrested in corruption cases linked to the liquor policy. They are currently out on bail. AAP has accused the ruling BJP of political vendetta and trashed allegations of corruption against its leaders.