Supreme Court allows Kejriwal to withdraw plea, file new one
The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted permission to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to withdraw his plea challenging the Delhi High Court's interim stay on his bail order in the case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. The decision was made by a two-judge vacation bench comprising Justice Manoj Misra and Justice S V N Bhatti. They also permitted Kejriwal, represented by senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, to file a fresh petition.
Why does this story matter?
Kejriwal has been in custody since March 21, barring a brief period of interim bail granted by the SC for campaigning. The Enforcement Directorate arrested him first, while the Central Bureau of Investigation formally arrested him on Wednesday. The agencies allege that Kejriwal played a significant role in drafting the policy and soliciting bribes for liquor licenses. They claim that the Aam Aadmi Party received kickbacks amounting to ₹100 crore, which were used to fund Goa and Punjab's election campaigns.
Details of Kejriwal's withdrawn plea and future plans
Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, requested to withdraw the Special Leave Petition (SLP) and stated his intention to file a new petition with the same prayer. Kejriwal was granted regular bail by the Rouse Avenue Court on June 20 on a personal bond of ₹1 lakh. However, the ED contested the bail ruling in the high court, which stayed it on June 21 and reserved its decision, prompting Kejriwal to move the SC.
Kejriwal questioned by CBI twice before arrest
Notably, before his arrest on Wednesday, the CBI had twice questioned him on Monday and Tuesday, before moving an application before the court seeking a production warrant for Kejriwal. The CBI first launched an investigation into the excise policy case on the recommendation of Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena in July 2022.
