New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday (September 6) asked the Delhi government if there was any restraint order on the chief minister from performing his duties from jail and signing important files while hearing a plea by a convict alleging delay in the decision in remission of his sentence.
Files of remission of sentence of eligible convicts were getting delayed for want of signature of CM Kejriwal, SC was informed
A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih asked the question when it was informed that the files of the remission of sentence of eligible convicts were getting delayed for want of signature of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Jail in alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy.
Kejriwal is currently lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Jail in excise policy case
Kejriwal is currently lodged in Judicial custody in Tihar Jail in an excise policy-linked corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-defunct Delhi Excise Policy. The apex court on Thursday reserved its verdict on his pleas challenging his arrest by the CBI and seeking grant of bail in the corruption case. He was also arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an excise policy-linked money laundering case in which he was on July 12 granted interim bail,
We want to examine this because this will affect hundreds of cases: Apex court
“Is there any restraint order on chief minister performing his duties from jail? We want to examine this because this will affect hundreds of cases,” the bench said and added, “So many files would be there as various orders are passed by the court concerning the chief minister. Whether there is any restraint on the chief minister signing such important files,” news agency PTI reported.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati told the bench that she will take instructions on the issue and get back to the court.
The apex court had earlier directed the Delhi government to take a decision on the remission of the sentence of the convict within two months and the said deadline was later extended by a month in July.
The final order on remission is passed by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and the file requires the signature of the Delhi Chief Minister before reaching the office of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor.