Excise policy case: Delhi court extends judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal

The Supreme Court had granted Kejriwal interim bail in the ED case on July 12. However, he is still lodged in Tihar jail in the CBI case.

A Delhi court on Thursday extended the judicial custody of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal till August 20 in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case regarding alleged irregularities in the formation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

Delhi CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal being produced before the Rouse Avenue Court in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

Kejriwal was virtually produced before special judge Kaveri Baweja as his judicial custody came to an end.

The 55-year-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor was initially apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21, hours after the Delhi high court denied his request for interim protection from arrest.

He was later taken into custody by the CBI on June 26 from Rouse Avenue Court and sent to judicial custody on June 29.

The CBI on July 30 filed its fourth supplementary charge sheet naming Kejriwal as an accused in the case, claiming he was one of the key conspirators in the alleged scam. The charge sheet is currently pending consideration before the court and has been listed for hearing on August 12.

The Supreme Court had granted Kejriwal interim bail in the ED case on July 12. However, he is still lodged in Tihar jail in the CBI case.

Prior to that, he was granted bail by the trial court in the case registered by ED on June 20, which was then stayed by the Delhi high court on June 25. He was also granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10 to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. He surrendered before the Tihar Jail superintendent on June 2.

Kejriwal had also approached the Delhi high court seeking bail in the CBI case and challenged his arrest by the federal probe agency. However, the court dismissed both his petitions on August 5.