New Delhi: A special court on Thursday extended the judicial custody of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Admi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in an excise policy-linked corruption case till August 20.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended the judicial custody of Kejriwal after he was produced before the court through video conference after the expiry of the judicial custody earlier granted by the court.
Kejriwal is currently lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Jail in corruption case
Kejriwal is currently lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Jail in excise policy-linked corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He was also arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an excise policy-linked money laundering case, however, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in the money laundering case on July 12.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in the money laundering case on March 21 and he was later arrested by the CBI in the corruption case on June 26.
High Court recently upheld Kejriwal’s arrest in corruption case
Recently, the Delhi High Court dismissed Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest in the corruption case, saying there was no malice in the acts of the CBI which demonstrated how he could influence witnesses who could muster the courage to depose only after his arrest.
Kejriwal’s counsel argued before the High Court that his arrest in the corruption case was an “insurance arrest” and the CBI arrested him because it felt that he may come out in the money laundering case and therefore, the CBI arrested him. The High Court, however, rejected the arguments of Kejriwal.
Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in money laundering case on July 12
The High Court earlier dismissed Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest in the money laundering case and upheld his arrest by the ED. Kejriwal challenged the High Court order before the Supreme Court, which, while granting him interim bail in the money laundering case on July 18, referred his plea to a larger bench, saying certain legal questions raised by him in his petition challenging his arrest in the money laundering case by the ED need to be considered by a larger bench of the apex court.
