Why Did Kejriwal's Lawyer Bring Up Imran Khan And Pakistan During Bail Hearing

The advocate, who is defending Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged excise policy scam, on Wednesday compared his situation to that of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan during a High Court hearing, Times Now reported.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, argued that his client's arrest by the CBI in the alleged excise policy scam was an "insurance arrest." He explained, "It is unfortunately an insurance arrest. I have effectively three release orders in my favour (in the ED case) under very stringent provisions. These orders show that the man is entitled to be released. He would have been released but for this insurance arrest."

Singhvi emphasized that Kejriwal was "not a terrorist" and that the arrest was not in accordance with the law, entitling the Chief Minister to bail. He claimed the CBI arrested Kejriwal fearing he might secure bail in the ED's case.

"Unfortunately for me, I am back to square one because of this insurance arrest. Those who want it, by hook or by crook, have kept him behind bars. Suddenly this man is very important to be interrogated in June and taken into custody," Singhvi stated.

Drawing a comparison to Imran Khan, Singhvi remarked that the court should prevent such scenarios from unfolding in India. "The trial court has given me regular bail under PMLA four days earlier. If this is so, we are proudly not that country... Three days ago Imran Khan was released, everybody read it in the newspaper, and he gets arrested again in another case. It can't happen in our country," he added.

Singhvi also cited the Supreme Court's order granting bail to Kejriwal earlier, telling the court, "The Supreme Court last week thought it fit to release him indefinitely... I have, effectively, three release orders in my favour. First is the interim bail order by the Supreme Court to campaign during elections. The second is the recent interim bail. In a much more stringent PMLA, he has been released by the trial court, but that order is stayed by this court."

The Delhi High Court has reserved its order and scheduled the regular bail plea hearing for July 29.

Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he remains in judicial custody in a connected money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He was initially arrested by the ED on March 21 and granted bail by the trial court in the money laundering case on June 20. However, the trial court's order was stayed by the high court. On July 12, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case.

The excise policy in question was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption in its formulation and execution. The CBI and the ED claim that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, with undue favours extended to license holders.