Delhi court denies interim bail to CM Arvind Kejriwal
The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has rejected an interim bail plea submitted by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The plea, filed on Wednesday, requested a seven-day bail for medical reasons. The court also extended Kejriwal's judicial custody until June 19. Kejriwal is detained in Tihar jail in a money-laundering case linked to the now-defunct excise policy.
Why does this story matter?
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 over corruption allegations linked to excise policy. The probe agency alleges that Kejriwal played a significant role in drafting the policy and soliciting bribes for liquor licenses. It claimed that his party, the Aam Aadmi Party, received kickbacks amounting to ₹100 crore which were used to fund its Goa and Punjab election campaigns. Both Kejriwal and the AAP have denied these charges, labeling them as "political vendetta."
Court orders medical tests
In addition to denying the interim bail, the court has ordered the relevant authorities to conduct necessary medical tests on Kejriwal. The AAP leader's application for default bail in this case is set to be reviewed by the court on June 7. To recall, Kejriwal was granted a temporary three-week bail to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, which ended on June 1. The Supreme Court and trial court had denied his request for extension of the interim bail.
Kejriwal moved SC for extension of interim bail
Kejriwal had earlier moved the SC seeking an extension of his interim bail by seven days to undergo medical tests due to his "sudden and unexplained weight loss coupled with high ketone levels." The AAP chief has claimed his body has lately shown symptoms of a "serious disease." "When I went to jail, my weight was 70kg, today it is 64kg...Doctors are saying that this can also be a sign of some serious disease in the body," Kejriwal had said.
ED had opposed Kejriwal's pleas
In his plea, Kejriwal had highlighted the need for medical tests—including a PET-CT scan. While rejecting his plea, the SC had advised him to approach the trial court for regular bail. Notably, the ED had opposed Kejriwal's pleas for normal bail and extension of interim bail due to health concerns, noting that he has been actively campaigning since his release on interim bail.
