A bench led by Justice Neena Bansal Krishna will hear Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea against his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday. Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, filed the petition today. He was previously arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in the Delhi excise policy case and then by the CBI in June.
The CBI's action followed a local court's decision to grant Kejriwal bail in the money laundering case related to the excise policy. Kejriwal has also challenged a June 26 order by the trial court that remanded him in CBI custody for three days. On June 29, the trial court sent him to judicial custody until July 12, stating that his name had surfaced as one of the main conspirators and that further custodial interrogation might be required.
The CBI accused Kejriwal of not cooperating with the investigation and providing evasive replies during his three-day custody. The agency also claimed that Kejriwal might influence witnesses in the Delhi excise policy case. On June 26, the trial court refused to declare his arrest by the CBI illegal, stating that while the timing of the arrest might be "circumspect," it was not a clear criterion for declaring it illegal. The court emphasized that while the investigation is the prerogative of the investigating agency, there are legal safeguards in place, and the material on record did not indicate the arrest was illegal. The court cautioned the agency against being overzealous.
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The agencies have accused Kejriwal and other AAP leaders of accepting ₹100 crore in kickbacks in exchange for creating a liquor policy favorable to a group of politicians and businessmen. This policy was scrapped shortly after the Delhi Lieutenant Governor recommended an investigation into irregularities in granting licenses.
Kejriwal's plea to the Delhi High Court is a crucial step in his legal battle against these allegations and arrests. The outcome of this hearing will have significant implications for both Kejriwal and the ongoing investigations into the excise policy case.
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