CBI formally arrests Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi excise policy case; CM withdraws plea from SC

Arvind Kejriwal

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) formally arrested Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case on June 26.

Kejriwal was produced before a Delhi court earlier today by Tihar jail authorities in the excise scam matter. He was produced before Special Judge Amitabh Rawat, where the CBI sought his custody to interrogate him.

The court allowed the CBI to formally arrest Kejriwal.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal withdrew from the Supreme Court his plea challenging the Delhi High Court order granting an interim stay on the operation of the trial court's bail order.

A vacation bench of Justices Manoj Misra and SVN Bhatti, which allowed Kejriwal to withdraw his plea, was told by the AAP leader's counsel senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi that since the high court has passed a detailed order on June 25, he would like to file a substantial appeal, news agency PTI reported.

Singhvi informed the bench that new developments were taking place every day and Kejriwal has now been arrested by the CBI.

"We would like to file a substantial appeal to bring on record all relevant details and challenge the June 25 order of the high court in which bail order was finally stayed," he said.

Kejriwal, who was arrested in March in connection with excise policy scam, was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in May to allow him to campaign for the 18th Lok Sabha elections. Following the completion of his campaign activities, he returned to jail on June 2 and has been in custody since then.

The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving its formulation and execution.

According to the CBI and ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours extended to the licence holders.

(With PTI inputs)