The Supreme Court of India has scheduled 5 September to hear Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s petitions challenging his arrest and seeking bail in the ongoing excise policy scandal.
The case, involving allegations of corruption related to Delhi’s excise policy, has drawn significant legal and public attention.
The bench, led by Justice Surya Kant, decided to delay the proceedings after Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju requested an additional week to file the CBI’s response.
ASG Raju indicated that the CBI had already submitted a response to one of Kejriwal’s petitions but acknowledged the need for more time to address the remaining issues.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, accused the CBI of deliberately delaying its reply, arguing that the late filing was a tactical maneuver.
Court Grants CBI Two-Day Extension For Counter Affidavit In Bail Case
The court has granted the CBI a two-day extension to submit its counter affidavit, allowing the petitioner additional time to file a rejoinder if necessary.
The Supreme Court had previously issued a notice on Kejriwal’s plea, asking the CBI to respond by 23 August.
A report from the Assistant Registrar on Thursday noted that while advocate MK Maroria had filed a Vakalatnama (appearance notice) on behalf of the CBI, a counter affidavit was still pending.
The notice was issued to the CBI through both special messenger and ‘dasti’ (hand delivery).
In his special leave petition, Kejriwal challenged the legality of his arrest and the subsequent remand orders.
He also requested bail in the corruption case, contesting the Delhi High Court’s 5 August ruling that deemed his arrest lawful and justified based on the evidence presented by the CBI.
The High Court had advised Kejriwal to seek interim bail from the trial court.
The CBI had filed its chargesheet against Kejriwal and other accused individuals on 29 July, further complicating the case.
Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint in a related money laundering case, naming both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Kejriwal as accused.
In the interim, a court extended Kejriwal’s judicial custody until 27 August.
The Chief Minister, currently held at Tihar Jail, appeared via video conference before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja as his previous custody period expired.
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