Delhi Court Reserves Order on Arvind Kejriwal's Interim Bail Plea in Excise Policy Case - 2024-06-01

Delhi Court Reserves Order on Arvind Kejriwal 's Interim Bail Plea in Excise Policy Case

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday reserved its order till June 5 on an application moved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking interim bail in a money laundering case connected to the alleged Delhi excise scam.

Kejriwal is currently on interim bail in the case till June 1, which concludes today after the last phase of Lok Sabha polls. The Delhi CM will have to surrender on Sunday.

Kejriwal has moved two different bail applications before the Rouse Avenue Court. The first plea relates to regular bail in the Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s case concerning the Delhi liquor scam. The second one relates to the interim bail application, where he is seeking a seven-day extension on medical grounds.

During the hearing, the ASG representing the ED pointed out that the Supreme Court's order prohibited Arvind Kejriwal from filing an interim bail extension plea, allowing only a regular bail plea. The ED also noted that according to the top court's order, bail is only applicable if the person is in custody, rendering an interim bail application invalid as the CM is currently not in custody.

The probe agency also said that Kejriwal has suppressed facts on the nature of the medical test he has to undergo. Kejriwal had earlier moved the Supreme Court seeking an extension of his interim bail by seven days on the grounds that he has to undergo some medical tests, including a PET-CT scan. However, the top court registry refused an urgent listing of Kejriwal 's plea.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja reserved the order, observing that the application was for grant of interim bail on medical grounds and not for the extension of the interim bail granted by the Supreme Court. The court will now pronounce its order on June 5.