New Delhi: Refusing to grant interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate by August 23 on the Aam Aadmi Party leader's petition seeking bail and challenging his arrest by the CBI in the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam.
A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan issued notice to the probe agencies, asking them to file their responses in the backdrop of the Chief Minister citing health issues, among others, for seeking bail.
Justice Kant said, “We are not granting any interim bail. We will hear arguments on regular bail only. We will issue notice.”
The court subsequently listed the matter for August 23.
Senior Advocate Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, said, “This is a strange situation. Three orders of release/bail granted under PMLA and this is a rejection of bail in a case not even dealing with section 45 PMLA.”
Justice Kant asked “No PMLA?”(Prevention of Money Laundering Act)
Singhvi said, “Yes, there are three orders, one in May, one in June and then a regular bail by trial court in ED case which was later stayed. Then the CBI investigated and interrogated me one year ago,” Singhvi said.
Justice Kant asked, “What happened to the case when the trial court granted bail?
Singhvi said that the High Court stayed it and it is still going on. Then Supreme Court on July 12 passed a detailed judgment and then this arrest was made by CBI which was an insurance arrest, Singhvi said.
Singhvi said just when the judgment in ED case was to be delivered... CBI arrested. "There are health issues involved… We have pressed for interim bail," Singhvi said.