Delhi HC Reserves Verdict on Kejriwal’s Bail Plea in CBI Excise Policy Case

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday reserved its verdict on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bail plea concerning the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case related to the Delhi excise policy 'scam'. The decision comes after a series of legal arguments and submissions by both the defense and the prosecution.

CBI calls Kejriwal ‘Sutradhar’ of Delhi excise policy scam 

Calling Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal "sutradhaar" (facilitator) in excise policy case, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday submitted before the Delhi high court that the agency arrested the Delhi chief minister only when material evidence started to pour in against him.

DP Singh stated that following Kejriwal's arrest, the investigative agency obtained evidence and saw an increase in testimonies, including from AAP workers. He mentioned that the investigation would not have been completed without the arrest of the AAP chief. The lawyer claimed that the CBI has evidence demonstrating Arvind Kejriwal's direct involvement in the scam.

He said even after the charge sheet was filed, the CM could influence witnesses directly or indirectly.

Arvind Kejriwal's lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, said the agency hasn't interrogated the chief minister since his arrest, except when he was in the police remand.

The Delhi Chief Minister had approached the Delhi High Court, stating that applicant Kejriwal is the National Convenor of a National Political Party (Aam Aadmi Party) and the sitting Chief Minister of Delhi, who is being subjected to gross persecution and harassment for wholly malafide and extraneous considerations, is knocking at the doors of this Court seeking regular bail in this case.

He has recently already approached challenging his wholly non-est and illegal arrest as well as patently routine remand orders passed by the Trial Court. The said writ petition had come up for hearing before this Court on July 2, when this Court issued notice and listed the matter for hearing on July 17. 

What is excise policy case? 

Kejriwal was arrested by ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22. 

In August 2022, the CBI began a probe; it conducted a raid at the residence of the then Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and three others. Based on the findings, the ED filed a case of money laundering linked to the liquor policy on August 22, 2022. The case took Sisodia behind bars in February 2023. Subsequently, the ED took it upon itself to trace the money trail arising from the alleged mal-transactions linked to the policy. In early March, the ED arrested Sisodia from his lodge in Tihar Jail in a PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering) case.