Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Arvind Kejriwal’s Appeal Today, Resulting in Setback

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader’s petition is expected to be heard in the top court next Monday. The Supreme Court will not set up a special bench for an urgent hearing on Mr. Kejriwal’s appeal. The court is closed for Eid-Ul-Fitr on Thursday and for a local holiday on Friday, followed by the weekend, and will reopen on Monday. Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Mr. Kejriwal, sought an urgent hearing from Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud today, but the Chief Justice did not confirm if a hearing would be granted on the same day.

The high court had dismissed Mr. Kejriwal’s challenge to his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy. The court emphasized that there is no separate protocol for questioning a common man and a Chief Minister. AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj expressed hope for a favorable verdict in the Supreme Court, pointing out that no illegal money was found during searches related to the Delhi liquor policy case, and alleging witness pressure by the ED and CBI. The high court held that the central agency had “little option” after Mr. Kejriwal skipped multiple summonses in the money laundering case.

It also cited the ED’s allegation that Mr. Kejriwal was actively involved in the use and concealment of alleged proceeds of crime. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma stated that the court would not lay down two different categories of laws, one for common citizens and another for those in public office. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj described the situation as the “biggest political conspiracy in India’s history.”