Delhi Excise Policy Case: Supreme Court adjourns Arvind Kejriwal’s bail plea till September 5

Supreme Court on August 23 adjourned the hearing into the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Delhi excise policy case. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan posted the case for next hearing on September 5.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju sought time to file a counter-affidavit in one of Kejriwal's petitions, according to legal news website LiveLaw. Raju submitted that CBI's counter-affidavit has been filed in the other petition.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, said that one counter-affidavit was filed at 8 pm on August 22 with a deliberate design that the same does not reach the bench, the LiveLaw report said.

Justice Surya Kant asked the CBI to file reply in another plea after two days while one affidavit has been filed in one case. The CBI told the apex court that Kejriwal is politically sensationalising the case and has been involved in criminal conspiracy.

“The actions of Manish Sisodia were in consultation with and at the behest of the Petitioner, the Chief Minister of Delhi,” the central agency told the Supreme Court, according to Bar and Bench.

Granting time to the CBI for filing a counter-affidavit, and to Kejriwal to file a rejoinder, if any, the bench posted the matter to September 5, according to LiveLaw.

Kejriwal's latest petition before the Supreme Court, filed through Advocate-on-Record Vivek Jain, challenges the Delhi High Court order of August 5, whereby his plea against CBI arrest was dismissed by a Single Judge bench with liberty to approach the trial Court for bail.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief was by CBI on June 26, while he was in custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.

On July 12, however, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in the money laundering case, while referring his petition challenging ED arrest to a larger bench. However, he continued to remain in judicial custody due to his arrest by the CBI.