No respite for Arvind Kejriwal: SC refuses interim bail for Delhi CM, issues notice to CBI

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal had filed a plea in the top court challenging the Delhi High Court's order that upheld his arrest by the CBI in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. 

"We are not granting any interim bail. We issue notice," the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said. The top court has issued a notice to the CBI and given central agency time till August 23 to respond to Kejriwal's plea.

The Supreme Court's order came days after former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia was granted bail following 17 months of imprisonment. 

Kejriwal, who is also Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP's) national convenor, has already got bail in the case against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). In March this year, the central agency arrested Kejriwal in connection with a case related to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.

Later, he was arrested by the CBI as well. Last month, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the ED case. Last week, the Delhi High Court rejected Kejriwal's plea and upheld his arrest in connection with the CBI case. 

The court said that Kejriwal's arrest was legal and that there was no malice in the CBI's acts. The High Court mentioned that arrests were made only after sufficient evidence was collected and sanction was obtained. 

The CBI demonstrated before the court how Kejriwal could influence witnesses in the case who could depose only after his arrest. 

The excise policy was discontinued in 2022 after the Delhi L-G requested the CBI to look into claims of corruption and irregularities in the creation and implementation of the excise policy. The CBI and the ED claim that improper actions were taken when changing the excise policy and giving license holders excessive benefits.