The Supreme Court on Thursday began hearing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s crucial petitions against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), seeking bail in the now-quashed excise policy case. The Delhi High Court on Tuesday extended his judicial custody till September 11. Kejriwal is challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision that upheld his arrest by the CBI.
What are the CBI’s allegations?
- The CBI filed its fourth supplementary chargesheet on July 30, naming Kejriwal, Satyendra Jain, Amit Arora, Vinod Chauhan, Ashish Mathur and P. Sarath Reddy as accused in the case.
- The CBI chargesheet alleges that Kejriwal is one of the main conspirators in the case and has links with the South Group, which comprises K. Kavitha, Raghav Magunta, Arun Pillai, Buchibabu Gorantla, P. Sarath Reddy, Abhishek Boinpalli and Binoy Babu.
- The 55-year-old AAP leader was first arrested by the anti-money laundering agency on March 21, shortly after the Delhi High Court rejected his plea for interim protection from arrest. The unexpected development significantly disrupted Delhi’s political landscape and further escalated the ongoing tussle between the central government and the AAP.
- He was then taken into custody by the CBI on June 26 at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court and later sent to judicial custody on June 29.
•Although the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the ED case on July 12, he remains in Tihar Jail due to his arrest by the CBI.