The Supreme Court on Thursday concluded hearings and reserved its decision on two crucial pleas by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal concerning his bail and arrest in the alleged excise policy scam. Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan of the apex court presided over the session that witnessed heated exchanges between the prosecution and the defense.
Kejriwal, represented by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, has challenged the legality of his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as well as the denial of bail in the ongoing corruption probe. The CBI, represented by Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, argued that the arrest was necessary to prevent Kejriwal from influencing potential witnesses.
The controversy stems from accusations that Kejriwal and other officials of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) manipulated the excise policy to benefit certain licensees illicitly. The policy, which was eventually scrapped, is alleged to have been formulated and executed with gross irregularities.
The Delhi High Court, earlier on August 5, supported the CBI’s actions, affirming that the arrest was lawful and devoid of malice. According to the High Court, the agency had convincingly demonstrated the potential influence Kejriwal held over witnesses, many of whom only came forward after his detention on June 26.
