A Delhi court on Wednesday sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to three-day Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody in connection to the excise policy case. Earlier in the, the CBI had officially arrested him in connection with the money laundering probe into now-scrapped excise policy. The central investigative agency asked for 5 days of custody.
Kejriwal was produced before a trial court by the Tihar Jail authorities before the arrest was formally made. He is already in jail arrested by ED in the same case. At a time he is making moves for bail, the CBI entered into the picture. Kejriwal has been in jail since April 1 in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case being probed by the ED.
On Monday, the CBI interrogated Kejriwal in Tihar Jail concerning the liquor policy case, recording his statement. Subsequently, the agency sought and obtained a production warrant for Kejriwal from a special court. The CBI is set to present him before a trial court at 10 am on Wednesday, possibly before the Supreme Court hearing.
Kejriwal was granted bail by a Delhi court on June 20 after his arrest by the ED on March 21. However, the ED challenged this decision in the Delhi High Court, which subsequently stayed the bail on June 21 and reserved its order for June 25.
Kejriwal’s legal team then approached the Supreme Court, which advised waiting for the High Court’s order rather than issuing an immediate decision. The Delhi High Court pronounced that the trial court did not outline the necessary conditions for Kejriwal’s release under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), under which he is charged, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal battle.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court allowed Kejriwal to file a fresh petition after his legal team withdrew the plea challenging the June 21 order passed by the Delhi High Court, staying the trial court’s order granting him bail.
Appearing for the Delhi chief minister, senior advocate A M Singhvi made the request to withdraw the plea before a vacation bench of Justices Manoj Misra and S V N Bhatti and the bench allowed it and dismissed the plea as withdrawn.
“Events are overtaking us every day. The judgment has come which has all kinds of issues, including a remarkable point…that the High Court order was binding, in which your lordships have given leave and granted us liberty to apply for bail,” submitted Singhvi.