Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has moved to the Delhi High Court to seek bail regarding the alleged excise policy scam, a case that is currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The plea for bail comes amid his ongoing incarceration at Tihar Jail, where Kejriwal is held under judicial custody for a separate money laundering case brought forth by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The arrest, which took place on June 26, marks a significant chapter in the ongoing scrutiny of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, who had earlier been granted bail in the ED’s money laundering case on June 20. However, the relief was short-lived as the bail order was subsequently stayed by the high court, extending Kejriwal’s stay behind bars.
The backdrop of these charges revolves around the controversial excise policy, which was annulled in 2022 following directives from the Delhi lieutenant governor to initiate a CBI investigation. The inquiry targeted alleged corrupt practices and procedural lapses in the policy’s formulation and its operational execution, accusing officials of extending undue advantages to certain licence holders.
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Both the CBI and ED contend that the policy modifications were marred by irregularities that ostensibly favored specific entities, leading to significant financial discrepancies and procedural breaches.
