In a significant development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) examined Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar Jail on Monday in connection with the ongoing Delhi excise policy case. The CBI has recorded Kejriwal’s statement and is set to present him before the trial court on Wednesday, potentially seeking his custody. This move by the CBI has intensified the legal battle surrounding Kejriwal, who has been embroiled in the excise policy controversy for several months. The probe agency’s actions come amid high-stakes political manoeuvring and mounting tensions between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP-led central government.
Legal and Political Implications
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has vehemently criticised the CBI’s actions, alleging that the central government is conspiring to fabricate a case against Arvind Kejriwal to facilitate his arrest. “At a time when there is a cent per cent possibility that Arvind Kejriwal will get bail from the Supreme Court, sources have informed me that the Centre is conspiring to register a fake CBI case against the Delhi CM and get him arrested by the CBI. The entire nation can see this and is standing in solidarity with Arvind Kejriwal,” Singh stated.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court stayed a trial court’s decision to grant regular bail to Arvind Kejriwal, citing insufficient consideration of the evidence presented by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain highlighted that the trial court had not adequately appreciated the material submitted by the ED and concurred with Additional Solicitor-General S.V. Raju’s argument that the Central agency had not been given adequate opportunity to argue its stay application.
High Court’s Critique and Supreme Court’s Upcoming Hearing
The High Court’s stay order has sparked reactions from various quarters. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Arvind Kejriwal’s plea against the stay on his bail on Wednesday. This critical juncture could determine the immediate future of the Delhi CM’s legal standing.
The Delhi High Court’s order stated, “The [trial court] Vacation Judge while passing the Impugned Order did not appropriately appreciate the material/documents submitted on record and pleas taken by ED.” The court also criticized the trial court’s dismissal of the voluminous material provided by the ED as “totally unjustified.”
Reacting to the High Court’s decision, Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj remarked on the unusual nature of the stay, questioning the speed and process behind it. Meanwhile, CBI officials have indicated their intention to officially arrest Kejriwal ahead of the Supreme Court hearing, adding another layer of complexity to the unfolding events.
Political Reactions and Allegations
Shortly after the CBI’s examination of Arvind Kejriwal, AAP leaders accused the BJP-led union government and the CBI of orchestrating a conspiracy to thwart Kejriwal’s political career. AAP’s lawyer Rishikesh Kumar voiced his discontent on social media, suggesting that the Modi government is using “dirty tricks” to prevent Kejriwal’s release by the Supreme Court. “The dirty tricks of the Modi government fears the release of Arvind Kejriwal by SC has asked the CBI to make arrest in the same matter almost a year after he joined the investigation. What it shows nothing changed the vindictive mindset of BJP. Shame,” he wrote.
Delhi BJP president Virendraa Sachdeva, however, deflected the accusations towards the Congress party, noting that the original complaint in the Delhi excise policy case was filed by Congress. “Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi, and Sanjay Singh should question Congress because the case on which the CBI is working was lodged by the Congress. They should ask Rahul Gandhi why they did not withdraw their complaint when they formed an alliance for the elections. Does Sanjay Singh want investigative agencies to work according to him?” Sachdeva remarked.
Arvind Kejriwal’s legal troubles began with his arrest by the ED on March 21 in the excise policy case. He was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10 to participate in election campaigning, with a directive to surrender by June 2. Subsequently, on June 20, the trial court granted him regular bail, which was stayed by the Delhi High Court the following day.
As Arvind Kejriwal awaits the Supreme Court’s hearing on his bail plea, the political and legal drama continues to unfold, drawing national attention and stirring debates about the intersections of law, politics, and governance in India.
