NEW DELHI: The
Supreme Court
delved into the case of Delhi chief minister
Arvind Kejriwal
, who stands accused in a money-laundering scancdal linked to the alleged
excise policy scam
. During the proceedings on Monday, the court inquired why Kejriwal hadn’t filed a bail application before the trial court, sparking a dialogue between the bench and Kejriwal’s lawyer.
The bench, comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, heard Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the
Enforcement Directorate
(ED).
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, responded to the court’s queries, revealing that no bail application had been submitted before the trial court.
“You did not move any application for bail before the trial court?” the bench asked senior advocate Singhvi.
“No”, Singhvi replied.
“Why did you not file any application for bail?” the bench asked.
Singhvi cited various reasons, asserting that Kejriwal’s arrest was deemed “illegal”.
The ongoing hearing continues to unfold in the matter.
Kejriwal was apprehended by the ED on March 21, subsequent to the Delhi high court’s refusal to shield him from coercive measures by the federal anti-money laundering agency. Presently, the chief minister remains in judicial custody at Tihar jail.
The Supreme Court previously issued a notice to the ED on April 15, seeking its response to Kejriwal’s plea.
Earlier, on April 9, the high court upheld Kejriwal’s arrest in the
money-laundering case
, asserting its legality. The court noted that the ED’s actions were necessitated by Kejriwal’s repeated non-compliance with summonses and refusal to cooperate with the investigation.
The matter pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.
(With inputs from agencies)
