THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, August 23: The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on the bail plea filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the petition challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the excise policy scam till September 5.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan allowed the CBI to file a counter affidavit in the case and gave Kejriwal two days to file a reply.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, stated that the CBI had only filed a counter-affidavit on one petition, which was handed over to them at 8 PM on Thursday.
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju stated that they would file their response within a week. Following this, the bench scheduled the next hearing of the case for September 5.
Earlier on August 20, the judicial custody of Kejriwal in the CBI case was extended to August 27 by the Rouse Avenue Court. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, setting the matter for August 27, mentioned that the court will also review the ED’s supplementary chargesheet against Kejriwal and others on that date.
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SC denied interim bail to Kejriwal on August 14
Earlier on August 14, the Supreme Court turned down Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea for interim bail in the corruption case concerning the alleged excise policy scam/ liquor scam filed by the CBI. The Supreme Court issued a notice to the CBI asking them to reply by August 23 concerning Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s challenge to the Delhi High Court’s ruling that upheld his arrest by the agency.
Delhi HC rejected petition against CBI arrest on Aug 5
On August 5, the Delhi High Court deemed Kejriwal’s arrest justified and upheld it. The court had stated that the CBI’s actions were not motivated by malice and that it had demonstrated how the AAP supremo could influence witnesses, who only mustered the courage to testify after his arrest.
CBI arrested Kejriwal on June 26
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged scam in the Delhi excise policy. The lower court granted him bail on June 20 in this case. However, the High Court later stayed the trial court’s decision.
On July 12, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the ED case; however, he remains in Tihar Jail as he is in judicial custody in the CBI case.
The CBI filed a charge sheet against Arvind Kejriwal on July 29 which is nearly one month after his arrest by CBI on June 26.
