Delhi excise policy ‘scam’: HC seeks CBI’s response to Kejriwal’s plea challenging arrest

The Delhi High Court on July 2 sought a response from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a plea by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest in a corruption case related to the excise policy ‘scam’.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna issued notice to the CBI and asked it to file its reply within seven days. The High Court posted the case for arguments on July 17.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener has also challenged a June 26 order of the trial court, which remanded him in the CBI’s custody for three days. The court had subsequently, on June 29, extended Mr. Kejriwal’s judicial custody till July 12, saying his name had surfaced as one of the main conspirators. It had also remarked that his further custodial interrogation might be required as the investigation is under way.

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The CBI arrested Mr. Kejriwal on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he was remanded till July 3 in a related money-laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

“He needs to be in jail in the interest of the investigation and justice,” the CBI had said in its remand application before the trial court, claiming that the Chief Minister had not cooperated in the investigation.

On June 26, the trial court, while remanding the AAP chief to CBI custody for three days, had refused to declare his arrest illegal, as sought by Mr. Kejriwal’s counsel. The court had said, “The timing may be circumspect but it is not the clear criterion for declaring an arrest illegal.”

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It had added, “Investigation is the prerogative of the investigating agency; however, there are certain safeguards provided in the law and at this stage, on the material on record, it cannot be said that the arrest is illegal. The agency, however, should not be overzealous.”

Mr. Kejriwal was initially arrested by the ED on March 21 on money laundering charges linked to the liquor policy case. The ED had alleged him to be the “key conspirator” in framing the now-defunct excise policy. The agency accused him of diverting the monetary profits gained from the policy into the AAP’s coffers for the Goa Assembly election.