The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ‘s bail plea in the excise policy case to September 5. Justice Surya Kant instructed the CBI to submit a response to another plea within two days, with one affidavit already filed in the case.
The CBI argued before the apex court that if Kejriwal is granted interim bail, he could interfere with the evidence and hinder the ongoing investigation into the Delhi Excise Policy case. This claim was made in an affidavit opposing Kejriwal’s plea to overturn his arrest by the central agency and secure interim bail.
The CBI expressed concerns that, given Kejriwal’s prominent position as Delhi’s Chief Minister, he might influence witnesses and tamper with evidence during the investigation. The agency also accused Kejriwal of attempting to politicise the case despite previous court rulings that have acknowledged the offences under investigation.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan adjourned the case to September 5 to allow time for filing a rejoinder and a counter-affidavit against Kejriwal’s bail request.
Earlier, on August 5, the Delhi High Court had rejected Kejriwal’s pleas for bail, directing him to approach the trial court instead. This decision led to Kejriwal’s appeal to the Supreme Court.
Also Read: Excise policy case: Delhi court extends CM Arvind Kejriwal’s judicial custody till August 27
On August 14, the Supreme Court sought the CBI’s response but did not grant bail at that time. Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26 while in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
He and other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders are accused of orchestrating a criminal conspiracy to manipulate the Delhi Excise Policy to benefit certain liquor vendors, with the alleged proceeds funding the AAP’s Goa election campaign.
Arvind Kejriwal was first arrested by the ED on March 26 and was later granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in that case. However, he remains in jail as he has yet to secure bail in the CBI case.
Kejriwal had filed two separate petitions with the Delhi High Court—one for interim bail and another challenging his CBI arrest.
The High Court rejected the petition to quash the arrest, with Justice Neena Bansal Krishna citing sufficient grounds for Kejriwal’s arrest. The court advised him to seek bail from the trial court.
Kejriwal subsequently approached the Supreme Court, challenging both these High Court decisions. Recently, the Supreme Court granted bail to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the same case, noting concerns over the tendency of High Courts and trial courts to deny bail routinely, rather than treating it as the norm.
