Arvind Kejriwal’s CBI Delhi Liquor Policy Case: Will He Walk Free? Key Supreme Court Hearing Today

A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan is currently hearing the case. The top court had previously granted interim bail to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case, but he still remains in jail in the CBI case. If the Supreme Court grants him relief, the Delhi Chief Minister will be released from prison after over five months.

Mr Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26, and the Delhi High Court upheld his arrest as legal on August 5, stating that the CBI was able to establish that the AAP leader could influence witnesses. Representing Mr Kejriwal, Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi called the case unprecedented. He pointed out that the Delhi Chief Minister has received relief twice under the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Singhvi also criticized the CBI’s actions, referring to the arrest as an “insurance arrest,” carried out after two years, and highlighted that three court orders favored Mr Kejriwal. Singhvi emphasized that the Supreme Court needs to address three questions: whether there is a flight risk, if he will tamper with evidence, and whether he will influence witnesses. He argued that the only basis for CBI’s arrest was Mr Kejriwal’s lack of cooperation, which had been addressed in past judgments stating that an accused cannot be expected to incriminate himself.

Singhvi further underscored that Arvind Kejriwal, as a constitutional functionary, cannot be a flight risk or pose a risk of tampering or influencing witnesses. He pointed out the extensive amount of evidence and existing chargesheets, stating that the triple test for bail is in Mr Kejriwal’s favor.