Delhi Excise Policy: Arvind Kejriwal's Judicial Custody In Corruption Case Extended Till Sept 3

A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in an excise policy-linked corruption case till September 3.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended the Aam Aadmi Party chief's custody after he was produced before court via video conferencing as the previously granted judicial custody came to an end.

At present, the court is hearing arguments on whether to take cognisance of a supplementary chargesheet filed against Kejriwal by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The Delhi CM's judicial custody in the money laundering case related to the excise policy scam was earlier this month extended till September 2.

Kejriwal was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in connection with his ED arrest in the excise policy case. However, the Delhi CM remained in jail due to his CBI arrest.

The top court, while granting him bail, had said that the Delhi CM had "suffered incarceration for over 90 days".

The CBI, meanwhile, in an affidavit before the apex court, justified Kejriwal's arrest in the excise policy case and said that it was necessary as he chose to remain "evasive and non-cooperative" in his responses to the agency's questions.

The federal agency claimed that the Delhi CM was trying to "politically sensationalise" the case, saying that he was involved in the criminal conspiracy in the formulation and implementation of the excise policy case.

"The necessity to arrest also arose based on the materials on record and since the petitioner chose to remain evasive and non-cooperative during his examination on June 25," it added.

A SC bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan took the CBI's affidavit on record and deferred the hearing on Kejriwal's pleas seeking bail and challenging the arrest by the central agency till September 5.