No relief for Arvind Kejriwal, Supreme Court says 'there can't be immediate bail'; seeks CBI response

The Supreme Court denied interim bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday, August 14, in the CBI's corruption case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

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Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan issued a notice to the CBI in response to Kejriwal's plea against the Delhi High Court's decision to uphold his arrest.

“We are not granting any interim bail. We will issue notice,” the bench told senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who was appearing for Kejriwal, PTI reported.

The matter is scheduled for a hearing on August 23.

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On August 5, the Delhi High Court upheld Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, ruling it legal and finding no malice in the CBI's actions. The court noted that the CBI demonstrated how Kejriwal's influence might have prevented witnesses from coming forward until after his arrest.

The Delhi excise policy was scrapped in 2022 following a CBI probe ordered by the Delhi lieutenant governor, which investigated alleged irregularities and corruption in the policy's formulation and execution. The CBI and ED have claimed that irregularities occurred in modifying the excise policy and that undue favours were granted to license holders.

(With inputs from PTI)