The Delhi High Court has recently issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea seeking bail in a corruption case related to the excise policy ‘scam’. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna sought the central agency’s response and scheduled the case for further hearing on July 17. The court acknowledged the CBI’s contention that Kejriwal should have first approached a trial court for bail, but maintained that this issue will be considered during the arguments. Senior advocate AM Singhvi, representing the Chief Minister, argued that both the High Court and the trial court have concurrent power to entertain a bail plea under Section 439 CrPC.
The excise policy in question was scrapped in 2022 after a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption. The AAP supremo was accused of diverting monetary profits from the policy into the AAP’s coffers for the Goa Assembly election. Additionally, a delegation of lawyers expressed concerns over certain court practices involving Kejriwal’s case, highlighting potential conflicts of interest.
Arvind Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), challenged his arrest in the CBI case and the plea is currently pending before the High Court. The timing of Kejriwal’s arrest has raised questions about the agency’s motives. The Chief Minister is set to continue his battle for bail as the matter progresses through the legal system.