Breaking: Delhi High Court Seeks CBI's Response On Arvind Kejriwal's Bail Plea In Liquor Policy Case

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice on the plea moved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking bail in CBI case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna sought response of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and listed the matter for hearing on July 17 when Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest is also listed.

Notably, Kejriwal has directly approached the High Court for seeking bail without approaching the trial court.

Senior Advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vikram Chaudhari and N Hariharan appeared for Kejriwal. Special counsel DP Singh represented CBI.

Singh told court that the grounds raised in the bail plea as well as the plea challenging Kejriwal's arrest are identical and there is an alternative remedy available with the Chief Minister to first approach the trial court for bail.

Singhvi submitted that it is not a case where there is even a remotest allegation of triple test and that Kejriwal is neither a proclaimed offender nor a terrorist.

[The triple test requires the accused to not be a flight risk, to not be likely to tamper with evidence nor be likely to influence witnesses.]

Chaudhari contended that since the trial court, while remanding Kejriwal, had observed that Section 41A of CrPC was not violated, it will be a futile exercise to approach the sessions court. 

Kejriwal is in judicial custody in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the alleged scam.

The Chief Minister was remanded to CBI custody for three days on June 26 by vacation judge Amitabh Rawat, observing that the arrest, at this stage, cannot be said to be illegal.

However, the judge had said that while the arrest is not illegal, CBI should not be over zealous.

Later, on June 29, vacation judge Sunena Sharma remanded Kejriwal to judicial custody as CBI did not ask for his further remand at this stage.

Justice Krishna recently issued notice on Kejriwal's plea challenging CBI's arrest and three days of police custody remand. The case is fixed for hearing on July 17.

The probe agency examined the Chief Minister in Tihar jail where he is lodged in judicial custody in relation to the money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Kejriwal's statement was recorded. This was hours after the Delhi High Court stayed the bail granted to the Chief Minister in the PMLA case.

After court's permission, CBI examined Kejriwal in court on June 26 and then formally arrested him in the matter.

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21. In May, he was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court till June 01 in view of general elections. He surrendered on June 2.

Title: Arvind Kejriwal v. CBI