Arvind Kejriwal had challenged the Delhi High Court's order to maintain his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Arvind Kejriwal. Pic/PTI
On Friday, September 13, the Supreme Court will rule on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bail applications in the Delhi excise policy scam case. Kejriwal had challenged the Delhi High Court's order to maintain his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), reported ANI.
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According to the report, after hearing arguments from both sides, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan reserved a verdict on September 5.
Delhi excise policy scam: ASG SV Raju says Kejriwal could influence witnesses
During the hearings, the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, representing the CBI, objected to Kejriwal bypassing the trial court and going directly to the High Court for bail.
"He approached the High Court without going to the Sessions Court. This is my preliminary objection. On merits, the trial court could have seen it first. High Court was made to see merits and it can only be in exceptional cases. In ordinary cases, sessions court has to be approached first," ASG had told the bench per ANI report.
According to the report, Raju contended that Kejriwal, as a powerful political figure, posed a risk to witnesses who might become hostile if he was freed on bail. "He is an influential political personality. All other 'aam aadmis' have to go to session court," ASG had added.
Delhi excise policy scam: Manu Singhvi says Kejriwal not threat to society
In contrast, Kejriwal's lawyer, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, claimed that his client had been granted bail twice before by the Supreme Court and presented no threat to society, the report further stated.
The Delhi High Court had already declared Kejriwal's arrest legitimate, citing sufficient evidence gathered by the CBI. The High Court also voiced worry that Kejriwal, as a prominent figure, could influence witnesses.
"The control and the influence which he has on the witnesses is prima facie borne out from the fact that these witnesses could muster the courage to be a witness only after the arrest of the petitioner, as highlighted by the special prosecutor," it had said in its order.
Kejriwal was detained by the ED on March 21, 2024, in connection with a money laundering investigation into alleged anomalies in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22. On June 26, 2024, AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal was detained by the CBI while in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate in the excise case.
With ANI inputs
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