Delhi Liquor Policy Case: CM Arvind Kejriwal, Others Named In CBI Chargesheet

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a charge sheet against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others in the Rouse Avenue Court in connection with the excise policy case.

Kejriwal, who is also the chief of the Aam Aadmi Party, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. While the Supreme Court has granted him interim bail in the ED case, he remains in jail due to a related arrest by the CBI.

The SC stated there was no merit in the State's objection that Kejriwal remains in judicial custody in the CBI's corruption case, and noted that nothing prevents him from seeking similar relief in that or other cases pending against him in various states.

"Indisputably, he has some 30-40 cases against him in various States and continues to be in custody in the CBI case. To confine this fundamental right to a particular case and to insist on an independent application in each case, is not only taking a myopic view but would result in multiplicity of similar relief being asserted in different cases," the court said.

The court added that requiring Kejriwal to file separate applications in each case would lead to delays and might indirectly deny him effective legal help.

Opposing Kejriwal's petition, Tihar jail authorities argued that many prisoners with numerous pending cases are allowed only two meetings with their lawyers each week. The ED had alleged that Kejriwal was using his lawyer meetings to send instructions to Delhi government ministers.

Kejriwal, who was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he was already in judicial custody for the ED's money laundering case, has filed separate petitions challenging his arrest in the CBI's corruption case and seeking bail.

He was initially granted bail by the trial court in the money laundering case on June 20, but this order was stayed by the high court.

The SC granted him interim bail on July 12 in the money laundering case until a larger bench reviews the necessity of arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

However, he has yet to secure bail in the CBI's corruption case related to the alleged excise scam.