Delhi Excise Policy Case: HC reserves order on Kejriwal's pleas challenging CBI arrest, seeking interim bail

Arvind Kejrwal. File Pic

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's pleas challenging his arrest by the CBI in the excise policy case and seeking interim bail, reported PTI.

Kejriwal's senior counsel not only contested his arrest by the CBI but also sought his release on bail in the case.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna reserved the court's order on the petitions after hearing the arguments advanced by the lawyers of Kejriwal and the CBI.

As per the PTI report, the high court has listed his regular bail plea for further arguments on July 29.

During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, termed his arrest by the CBI an "insurance arrest" to stop him from walking out of jail.

"It is unfortunately an insurance arrest. I have effectively three release orders in my favour (in the ED case) under very stringent provisions... These orders show that the man is entitled to be released. He would have been released but for this insurance arrest," he contended.

He asserted that Kejriwal was "not a terrorist" but the chief minister of Delhi. He added that his arrest was not as per the mandate of the law and being the chief minister, he was entitled to bail.

D P Singh representing the CBI opposed the two pleas of Kejriwal and said terming the arrest an "insurance arrest" was unjustified

The CBI arrested Kejriwal on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he is still lodged in judicial custody in a connected money laundering case filed by the ED.

The chief minister, who was arrested by the ED on March 21, was granted bail by the trial court in the money laundering case on June 20. However, the trial court's order was stayed by the high court.

On July 12, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case.

The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving the formulation and execution of the policy.
According to the CBI and the ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours extended to licence holders.