Delhi court extends Kejriwal's custody till July 25 in excise policy scam

Delhi court on Arvind Kejriwal's CBI custody

The Rouse Avenue court in Delhi on July 12 extended his judicial custody of Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal till July 25 in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case relating to the excise policy scam.

The CM will be presented in the court again on July 25. However, the Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear his bail plea in the CBI case on July 17.

Earlier on July 12, the Supreme Court had granted interim bail to Kejriwal in an Enforcement Directorate (ED) case. “Arvind Kejriwal has suffered incarceration of 90 days... We direct Kejriwal will be released on interim bail... We are conscious he is an elected leader,” a bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna said.

However, with this order, it is unlikely that Kejriwal will be released from the jail till he obtains a bail from the Delhi High Court.

On June 29, Kejriwal was remanded to a 14-day judicial custody in the excise policy case, he was produced in the court pursuant to the order directing that he be produced in the court on July 12.

On June 26, the court remanded Kejriwal to CBI custody for three days. It directed that Kejriwal be produced again before 7pm on June 29, and also permitted his lawyers and wife to meet him once a day for an hour.

The CBI had sought a five-day custody for the Delhi CM on June 26 after it arrested him on the same day in the liquor policy case.

When he was presented in a court after his arrest on June 26, Kejriwal accused the agency of building a false narrative through media reports that he blamed his former deputy, Manish Sisodia, for the excise policy.

Addressing the court, Kejriwal said he and his party colleagues, including Sisodia, were innocent. The excise policy was aimed at increasing revenue, reducing lines at liquor shops and ensuring equitable distribution. He had only said privatisation was Sisodia's idea, the CM said.

The CBI refuted the claim and said it had not shared any details with the media.