New Delhi, June 5 (UNI) A Delhi court on Wednesday rejected to grant interim bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accused in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam, on medical grounds, and extended his judicial custody till June 19.
The order was passed by a special court Judge Kaveri Baweja, who deals with Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cases at Rouse Avenue.
The special court said that certain directions have been given regarding the medical examination of Kejriwal, responding to queries raised by his counsel on concerns over his health. The petitioner’s application will be further considered as per the requirement.
On Kejriwal’s plea, the special court had on June 1 reserved its order for June 5 after hearing the arguments of the parties concerned. The special court will hear his regular bail plea on June 7.
The Supreme Court had on May 10 granted him interim bail until June 1 to participate in the Lok Sabha poll campaign. Kejriwal had complied with the Apex Court’s order and surrendered before jail authorities on June 2.
During the June 1 hearing, the ED vehemently opposed the arguments made in support of the demand for interim bail for Kejriwal.
The Chief Minister had sought interim bail for seven days to examine his health besides the regular bail plea.
Earlier, the apex court registry had refused to list Kejriwal’s plea for an early hearing seeking an extension of his interim bail by seven days, which ended on June 1.
A vacation bench of Justices J. K. Maheshwari and K. V. Viswanathan had on May 28 refused to accord an urgent hearing to Kejriwal’s plea seeking an extension of his interim bail by seven days. The bench had then told senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the petitioner, that the Chief Justice can take a decision with regard to listing the application (of Kejriwal).
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta had on May 10 granted interim bail to Kejriwal until June 1 to participate in the campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. He was currenty lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Central Jail.
The top court had on May 17 reserved its order on his appeal challenging his arrest on March 21 and subsequent ED custody.
Kejriwal had claimed in his petition that he had lost seven kilograms of weight since his arrest. The ‘ketone level’ is very high, which can be a symptom of a serious illness.
“The doctors concerned at Max Hospital, presently treating him, have advised conducting certain tests, which require seven days’ time. The petition said that he has been advised to undergo a PET-CT scan and other tests.
The National Convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was arrested by the ED on March 21, 2024, in an alleged scam in the Delhi Excise Policy-2021-22 (which was later scrapped).
The central probe agency, which arrested Kejriwal, has accused him of being the main conspirator.
He is accused of receiving fraudulent funds of Rs 100 crore for campaigning in the erstwhile Goa Assembly polls. Mr. Kejriwal has challenged the legality of his arrest by the ED.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a criminal case on August 17, 2022, alleging irregularities committed in the formulation and implementation of the excise policy. On this basis, the ED registered a money laundering case on August 22, 2022.
The ED claims that top leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party- Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and other leaders—had “conspired” for illegal earnings.
Sisodia is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody in connection with the case. His bail plea was rejected by the apex court on June 4. He had approached the top court after he did not get relief from the Delhi High Court.
The Supreme Court granted relief to AAP MP Singh in the case on April 2. The apex court had also directed the special court concerned to decide the terms and conditions of bail while granting him bail.
In pursuance of the apex court’s order, the special court at Rouse Avenue passed an order on April 3 to conditionally release him from Tihar Jail.
