Will Arvind Kejriwal Get Bail Or Remain In Jail? Supreme Court's Big Decision Today

As per the cause list of September 13 uploaded on the apex court website, a bench headed by Justice Surya Kant is slated to pronounce the verdict on Kejriwal's petitions seeking bail

The Supreme Court on Friday is set to deliver its verdict on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's petitions seeking bail and challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the excise policy 'scam'. A bench headed by Justice Surya Kant and also comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan had reserved its verdict in the case on the pleas on September 5. 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief has moved two separate petitions challenging the denial of bail and against his arrest by the CBI in the corruption case filed by the central probe agency. Kejriwal has challenged the Delhi High Court's August 5 order which upheld his arrest in the corruption case in the apex court. The Delhi Chief Minister was arrested by the CBI on June 26.

Delhi HC's Verdict

Denying bail to Kejriwal, the Delhi High Court had noted that the loop of evidence against the AAP leader was closed after the collection of relevant evidence following his arrest by the CBI and it cannot be said that it was without any justifiable reason or illegal. However, the high court granted him liberty to approach a trial court with his plea seeking bail in the case.

Case Against Kejriwal

The excise policy 'scam' case relates to alleged corruption in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which has now been scrapped. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also lodged a separate money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy 'scam'. It had, on March 21, arrested the Delhi CM in connection with the money laundering case.

According to the CBI and the ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours extended to licence holders. On July 12, the apex court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case.

The top court had referred to a larger bench, preferably of five judges, for in-depth consideration of three questions on the aspect of "need and necessity of arrest" under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

During the arguments on September 5 on Kejriwal’s plea in the corruption case, the chief minister had vehemently opposed in the apex court the CBI's contentions that he should have approached the trial court first for bail in the corruption case.

Questioning the maintainability of Kejriwal's pleas, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the CBI, had submitted that even in the money laundering case in which he had challenged his arrest by the ED, he was sent back by the apex court to the trial court.