Supreme Court grants bail to Arvind Kejriwal in CBI case in connection with Delhi Excise Policy.
The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan delivered the Judgment granting bail to Kejriwal.
In his separate concurring judgment, Justice Bhuyan questioned the timing and manner of Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by the CBI in June, suggesting that the arrest may have been intended to thwart the possibility of bail being granted to Kejriwal in the ED case.
Justice Bhuyan further emphasized that non-cooperation does not equate to self-incrimination, and therefore, Kejriwal’s arrest by the CBI on this basis was not justified.
The Supreme Court reiterated the principle that bail should be the norm, and jail the exception, stressing that all courts must ensure the prosecution and trial process do not themselves become a form of punishment.
This decision comes after a prolonged legal battle where Kejriwal challenged his arrest and sought bail.
The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy, which was scrapped in 2022 following a probe ordered by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor. The CBI had arrested Kejriwal on June 26, 2024, while he was already in custody in a related money laundering case investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Despite being granted interim bail in the ED case, Kejriwal remained in jail due to the CBI’s arrest.
The Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail follows earlier denials by the Delhi High Court, which had suggested that Kejriwal approach the trial court for bail.
