On Friday, the Supreme Court granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the corruption case linked to the alleged liquor scam case. In a crucial judgment, the apex Court said, “conditions to be fixed by the trial court.”
Two concurring judgments by two justices were pronounced. In his opinion, Justice Surya Kant granted bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the case.
The other judge, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, authored a separate opinion raising serious questions about the timing of the CBI’s arrest and holding the central agency’s “belated arrest” to be unjustified.
Last week, the Bench of Justices Kant and Bhuyan reserved its decision after hearing the oral arguments advanced by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo, and Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, who appeared on behalf of the CBI.
During the hearing, Singhvi contended that the CBI did not arrest CM Kejriwal for two years but made an “insurance arrest in a hurry” to prevent his release in the money laundering case.
The CBI arrested Kejriwal for “his non-cooperation and evasive replies,” but several apex court judgments held that cooperation with the probe should not mean that the accused should incriminate himself and confess to the offences alleged, he said.
Singhvi added that CM Kejriwal, a constitutional functionary holding the position of Delhi Chief Minister, satisfied the triple test for grant of bail. “He is not a flight risk. He will turn up to answer the questions of the investigative agency and cannot tamper with documents, running into lakhs of pages, and digital evidence after two years,” he submitted.
On the other hand, the central agency apprehended that the release of CM Kejriwal would turn many witnesses “hostile” and urged the apex court not to release him on bail in the liquor scam case. ASG Raju said that many AAP candidates in the Goa Assembly election came forward to give their statements to the central agency only after CM Kejriwal was arrested. “They (witnesses) will turn hostile if your lordships release Kejriwal on bail,” he argued.
He argued that CM Kejriwal’s plea for bail should be remanded to the trial court and that he should not have petitioned the Delhi High Court for bail in the first place.
The ASG submitted that the arrest is part of the liquor scam case investigation. Ordinarily, an investigating officer does not require permission from a court to make an arrest. “But, in the present case, there was an order of the court granting the power (to arrest),” he said.
He added that when an arrest is made according to a court order, an accused cannot plead a violation of fundamental rights. Recently, the top court allowed the bail pleas of senior AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, BRS leader K. Kavitha, and AAP’s former communication-in-charge Vijay Nair in the excise policy case.
In his special leave petition filed before the Supreme Court, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor challenged his arrest and subsequent remand orders while pressing for bail in the corruption case. On the other hand, seeking dismissal of CM Kejriwal’s plea, the CBI said that the AAP supremo was attempting to politically sensationalise the matter, despite repeated orders passed by various courts being prima facie satisfied with the commission of the offences, for which cognisance already has been taken.
The agency said that while CM Kejriwal “does not hold any ministerial portfolio in Government National Capital Territory (GNCT) of Delhi, all decisions of the government, as well as the party, are taken on his concurrence and directions”, adding that these include not only the decisions in Delhi but also throughout the country where AAP has a presence. The Supreme Court, on July 12, ordered CM Kejriwal to be released on interim bail in connection with the money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
However, he was not able to walk out of jail since the CBI arrested him. A Delhi court on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of CM Kejriwal, who was produced through videoconferencing from Tihar Jail upon the expiry of previously granted judicial custody, until September 25.
— IANS
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