The Delhi High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking interim bail for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, currently in custody over alleged charges in a liquor scam, and imposed a fine of Rs 75,000 on the petitioner for misuse of the judicial process.
Arvind Kejriwal has been detained in Tihar Jail and has faced several unsuccessful attempts to secure bail from the court. The PIL filed by an individual cited a threat to Kejriwal’s life and sought special interim bail for him until he remains in the chief ministerial office. During the hearing, Kejriwal’s lawyer, Rahul Mehra, argued vehemently against the petition, describing it as wholly unacceptable and aimed merely at garnering publicity.
“Who are you to help him?” questioned the High Court when addressing the petitioner. The court further queried, “How did you acquire veto power? Are you a member of the United Nations?” indicating the overreach attempted by the petitioner in judicial matters usually handled by legal representatives.
Mehra emphasized that all necessary steps for bail are being taken and that Kejriwal does not require assistance from an external party. He highlighted that the government operations have been hindered due to Kejriwal’s arrest, affecting services such as healthcare delivery in government hospitals.
The court reiterated that the law applies equally to all and noted the previous instances where similar petitions were dismissed and fines were imposed. This recurring theme of petitions suggests a lack of deterrence from previous financial penalties, indicating a continued misuse of the court’s time.
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This decision follows three earlier petitions in the Delhi High Court seeking Kejriwal’s removal from the chief ministerial position, with the last petitioner, Sandeep Kumar, also fined Rs 50,000.
