Delhi Excise Policy case: Supreme Court queries absence of bail plea from Delhi CM Kejriwal

PTC News Desk: The Supreme Court has raised a pertinent question in the ongoing case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who stands accused in a money-laundering case related to the purported excise policy scam.

During the hearing of Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta queried why Kejriwal hadn’t sought bail in the trial court.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, faced the bench’s scrutiny when asked why no bail application had been submitted before the trial court. Singhvi’s response was negative, indicating that no such application had been filed. This prompted the bench to delve deeper, questioning the rationale behind this decision.

Singhvi cited various reasons, including the assertion that Kejriwal’s arrest was deemed “illegal.” As the hearing progressed, the discussion continued, with the Enforcement Directorate having arrested Kejriwal on March 21 following the Delhi High Court’s denial of protection against coercive action by the federal anti-money-laundering agency. Presently, the chief minister remains incarcerated in Tihar jail under judicial custody.

Having issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate on April 15, the Supreme Court sought its response to Kejriwal’s plea. Earlier, on April 9, the high court had upheld Kejriwal’s arrest in the money-laundering case, stating that there was no illegality involved, and the Enforcement Directorate’s actions were justified given Kejriwal’s repeated refusal to comply with summonses and participate in the investigation.

The crux of the matter revolves around alleged corruption and money-laundering associated with the formulation and execution of Delhi government’s excise policy for the fiscal year 2021-22, which has since been revoked. As the legal proceedings unfold, the case underscores the complexities and legal intricacies surrounding high-profile investigations involving public officials.

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