CBI Obtains Sanction From Court To Prosecute Arvind Kejriwal In Delhi Excise Policy Scam Case

Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has obtained the required sanction to prosecute Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy scam case. The CBI has filed the sanction in the Rouse Avenue Court, along with a supplementary charge sheet against Kejriwal.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on 26 June and has been in judicial custody since August 27. Notably, the court is to consider the supplementary charge on August 27. The sanction was required to prosecute Kejriwal.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court adjourned till September 5 the hearing on Kejriwal's pleas seeking bail and challenging the arrest by the CBI in the case. A bench of justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan allowed the CBI to file its counter affidavit in the matter and gave Kejriwal two days to file a rejoinder.

Kejriwal has filed two petitions challenging the denial of bail and against his arrest by the CBI in the case. He has challenged the August 5 orders of the Delhi High Court. On August 14, the top court refused to grant interim bail to Kejriwal in the case and sought a response from the probe agency on his plea challenging his arrest.

The Delhi high court had on August 5 upheld the arrest of the chief minister as legal, and said there was no malice in the acts done by the CBI which was able to demonstrate how the AAP supremo could influence witnesses who could muster the courage to depose only after his arrest.

The high court had asked him to move the trial court for regular bail in the CBI case.

The chief minister, who the Enforcement Directorate arrested 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.

On July 12, the top court granted him interim bail in the money laundering case.

The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor (LG) ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving its formulation and execution. According to the CBI and the ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours extended to license holders.