Supreme Court Issues Notice to CBI on Arvind Kejriwal’s Bail Plea in Corruption Case
The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the bail plea of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal is challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision that upheld his arrest in a corruption case related to the alleged excise policy scam.
Key Details
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan has asked the CBI to respond by August 23. The court has refused to grant interim bail to Kejriwal, despite his lawyer, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, pleading for it on health grounds.
Arguments Presented
Singhvi argued that Kejriwal had previously received interim bail in a money laundering case, which has more stringent conditions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. He questioned why Kejriwal was being denied regular bail in the CBI case, which falls under the Prevention of Corruption Act, a law with less stringent conditions.
Background
On August 5, the Delhi High Court upheld Kejriwal’s arrest, stating that it was legal and based on sufficient evidence. The court noted that Kejriwal’s influence could affect witnesses, who only came forward after his arrest. Kejriwal, a recipient of the Magsaysay Award and the convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21, 2024, in a money laundering probe related to the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22. He was later arrested by the CBI on June 26, 2024, while in ED custody.
Doubts Revealed
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions about laws and justice.
CBI -: CBI stands for Central Bureau of Investigation. It is a special police force in India that investigates serious crimes like corruption.
Arvind Kejriwal -: Arvind Kejriwal is the Chief Minister of Delhi. He is a political leader and the head of the Delhi government.
Bail Plea -: A bail plea is a request to be released from jail while waiting for a trial. It means asking the court to let someone stay out of jail until their case is decided.
Corruption Case -: A corruption case involves accusations of dishonest or illegal behavior by someone in power, like taking bribes or misusing public money.
Delhi High Court -: The Delhi High Court is a major court in Delhi that deals with important legal cases. It is below the Supreme Court in the hierarchy.
Interim Bail -: Interim bail is temporary release from jail until a final decision is made in the case. It is like a short-term bail.
Delhi Excise Policy -: The Delhi excise policy is a set of rules about the sale and distribution of alcohol in Delhi. The case involves claims that these rules were not followed properly.
Money Laundering -: Money laundering is hiding money that was earned illegally to make it look like it came from legal sources. It is a serious crime.
