SC Declines Interim Relief To Arvind Kejriwal

The Supreme Court today refused interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case linked to the national capital's now scrapped liquor policy. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan issued a notice to the CBI in the plea, where he challenged his arrest and sought bail. The court scheduled the matter for hearing on August 23, stating "no interim bail for now".

Arguing for Kejriwal, Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi told the bench that it is a "strange situation". Mr Kejriwal was granted interim bail in a Prevention of Money Laundering Case (PMLA) on May 10. "He then got interim bail from Supreme Court in July. He was granted bail in a CBI case by the lower court. In this way, three bail orders were given," Singhvi said, terming the AAP leader's imprisonment "insurance arrest".

The arrest of Mr Kejriwal by the CBI, 1 year and 10 months after the case was registered, was not tenable in law and smacked of mala fide, the senior lawyer told the court. "We have filed for interim bail. He will easily pass the triple test," he said.

The Supreme Court, however, refused to give any interim relief. "Don't say interim bail, we will not give interim bail," the court said.

Earlier, on August 5, the Delhi High Court upheld the arrest of the Chief Minister and said there was no malice in the acts of the CBI and that the agency had demonstrated how the AAP leader could influence witnesses.