Delhi HC Seeks Tihar Jail's Response on Kejriwal 's Plea for Additional Lawyer Meetings

Kejriwal Challenges Trial Court's Rejection of Request for More Meetings

The Delhi High Court has sought a response from the Tihar Jail authorities on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal 's plea seeking additional meetings with his lawyers through video conferencing.

A single-judge bench of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna asked the jail authorities and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file their responses and listed the matter for further hearing on July 15.

Kejriwal has challenged a July 1 trial court order that rejected his application for directions to the prison authorities to grant him two additional meetings in a week with his lawyers through video conferencing. Presently, he is allowed two meetings with his lawyers in a week.

In the plea before the trial court, Kejriwal said he was facing around 30 litigations across the country and, on the grounds of the right to a fair trial, he required two additional meetings with his lawyers through video conferencing to discuss the cases.

However, the trial court had rejected the plea, saying the counsel for the applicant had failed to convince the court as to how Kejriwal was entitled to two additional legal meetings through video conferencing on the same grounds that had been discussed and dealt with in the earlier order.

Kejriwal 's Arrest and Bail

Kejriwal , the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he is lodged in judicial custody in a connected money laundering case filed by the ED.

Kejriwal , 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.

In separate petitions, Kejriwal has challenged his arrest in the corruption case registered by the CBI in connection with the alleged excise policy scam and also sought bail. Both the petitions are pending before the High Court.

Excise Policy Scam

The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving its formulation and execution. According to the CBI and ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, and undue favors were extended to the license holders.

On being asked by the court what was the objection to Kejriwal 's plea, the lawyer representing the jail authorities submitted that the rule is the same for all and a prisoner is entitled to two meetings with their advocate in a week.

The High Court's decision on Kejriwal 's plea for additional lawyer meetings is eagerly awaited, as it could have significant implications for his ongoing legal battles related to the excise policy scam.