Delhi court denies bail to Arvind Kejriwal; extends custody by two weeks till July 3rd in liquor policy case

On June 5, a Delhi court had rejected Arvind Kejriwal's plea for temporary release on medical grounds in the ongoing legal proceedings

On June 5, a Delhi court rejected Arvind Kejriwal's plea for interim bail on medical grounds in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-defunct excise scam. The court, during proceedings on Wednesday, extended Kejriwal's judicial custody until July 3 while hearing his bail application.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed the court that the case hinges on Kejriwal's alleged involvement. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju clarified that allegations of Kejriwal demanding a bribe of Rs 100 crore were raised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), not the ED.

Kejriwal's legal counsel countered, stating that despite multiple chargesheets, he had not been named as an accused. They highlighted that several arrests were made in earlier stages of the case without implicating Kejriwal.

Earlier, the court had postponed the hearing at the ED's request for time to file a response. During subsequent proceedings, the judge addressed an application by Kejriwal seeking permission for his wife to participate in the medical board assessment via video conference. The judge instructed jail authorities to respond to this request and scheduled further consideration for Saturday.

When the ED requested another adjournment until June 25, the judge emphasized that he would prioritize Kejriwal's convenience over the probe agency's. The judge asserted that since Kejriwal is in judicial custody, the ED has no jurisdiction over his logistical arrangements.