New Delhi: The Supreme Court is currently hearing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s petitions for bail and his challenge to the arrest in the CBI case related to the now-scrapped liquor policy. The matter is being reviewed by a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan.
While the top court has previously granted interim bail to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case, Kejriwal remains in custody due to the CBI case. If the Supreme Court grants him relief, the Delhi Chief Minister could be released from prison after more than five months.
Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26, and the Delhi High Court upheld the legality of his arrest on August 5, stating that the CBI had shown he could potentially influence witnesses.
Representing Arvind Kejriwal, Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi argued that this is an unprecedented case. He pointed out that the Delhi Chief Minister had twice received relief under the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and described the CBI’s actions as an “insurance arrest.”
Singhvi noted that the CBI arrested Kejriwal after two years, despite three court orders in his favor. “This is an insurance arrest, designed to keep him in jail,” Singhvi remarked.
He urged the Supreme Court to consider three key questions: Is there a flight risk? Will he tamper with evidence? Will he influence witnesses?
Singhvi argued that the only reason cited for Kejriwal’s arrest was his alleged lack of cooperation, but past rulings have clarified that an accused cannot be expected to incriminate themselves.
“Arvind Kejriwal is a constitutional functionary and poses no flight risk. Tampering with evidence is impossible, given that there are lakhs of documents and five chargesheets already filed. Moreover, there’s no risk of influencing witnesses. The triple test for bail works in my favor,” Singhvi concluded.
