Delhi HC dismisses Arvind Kejriwal’s plea against arrest
The Delhi High Court delivered a significant blow to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday by upholding his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the ongoing excise policy scam. This corruption case has become a major political controversy in India.
Justice Krishna Dismisses Kejriwal’s Challenge
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna rejected Kejriwal’s petition challenging the legality of his arrest. The CBI had enough justification for detaining the Chief Minister. This decision comes after weeks of legal wrangling, with the High Court reserving its order on Kejriwal’s plea in late July.
Bail Plea Disposed, Kejriwal Can Approach Trial Court
While the High Court upheld the arrest, it also disposed of Kejriwal’s bail plea filed along with the challenge. However, the court granted him the liberty to approach the trial court for seeking bail. This means Kejriwal will need to pursue bail through the lower court system.
Multiple Arrests and Legal Battles
This is the second arrest for Kejriwal in connection with the alleged excise policy irregularities. He was also previously arrested by the ED in a related money laundering case in March 2024. Although granted bail by a trial court in June, the High Court stayed that order. Notably, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in this case in July.
Excise Policy Controversy and Allegations
The controversy centers around the Delhi government’s 2021 excise policy, which aimed to reform liquor sales in the city. However, the Lieutenant Governor, who represents the central government in Delhi, raised concerns about irregularities and potential corruption. This led to the policy’s scrapping in 2022 and subsequent investigations by the CBI and ED. Both agencies allege that the policy was modified to favour specific license holders, leading to financial benefits for certain individuals.
Uncertainties Remain
The High Court’s decision is a setback for Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). It remains to be seen if he will be granted bail by the trial court and how this case will unfold in the coming months. The allegations of corruption continue to cast a shadow over the Delhi government, and the outcome of the investigation and potential trial could have significant political ramifications.
The Delhi High Court’s decision to uphold Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest marks a significant turning point in the high-stakes political drama surrounding the excise policy scam. The policy, introduced in 2021 with the promise of streamlining liquor sales and increasing revenue, was hailed as a progressive step by the AAP government. However, allegations of corruption and collusion with liquor licenses soon surfaced, leading to its abrupt cancellation in 2022. The subsequent investigations by the CBI and ED have intensified the political battle between the AAP and the central government, with both sides trading accusations of political vendetta.
Kejriwal’s Arrest Upheld by High Court (As of 2024-08-05)
The ongoing Delhi liquor case has become a major political storm in India, casting a shadow over Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The case centers around alleged irregularities in the Delhi government’s 2021 excise policy, which aimed to reform liquor sales in the city.
The Excise Policy and Controversy
In 2021, the AAP government introduced a new excise policy with the stated goals of improving efficiency, boosting government revenue, and enhancing customer experience in liquor sales. The policy shifted control from government-run stores to private retailers, introducing a zonal bidding system for licenses.
However, the Lieutenant Governor, representing the central government in Delhi, raised concerns about potential loopholes and opportunities for corruption. Critics alleged that the policy favored certain companies and lacked transparency in license allocation.
Investigations and Legal Battles
These concerns led to the scrapping of the policy in 2022 and subsequent investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Both agencies alleged that the policy was manipulated to benefit specific license holders, resulting in financial gains for certain individuals.
In March 2024, the ED arrested Kejriwal in a related money laundering case. Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail by a trial court in June, but the High Court stayed the order in the case . The Supreme Court, however, provided him interim bail.
The latest development came, when the Delhi High Court upheld Kejriwal’s arrest in the main excise policy case. The court found that the CBI had sufficient justification for detaining the Chief Minister, rejecting his petition challenging the arrest’s legality.
