The Supreme Court on Tuesday did not deliver any order on Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest in connection with the money laundering case probe of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) linked to the alleged excise policy "scam".
Citing lack of time, the Supreme Court said it will continue hearing the matter on Thursday, May 9, or next week. The Supreme Court bench of Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta rose without pronouncing order on grant of interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal.
"Tentatively we will see if that matter finishes, we will give you a date for day after tomorrow. If it's not possible, we will keep it sometime in next week. Next week is going to be very difficult," Justice Khanna said.
The bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta were hearing the matter which pertains to petition filed challenging the April 10 judgment of the Delhi High Court which dismissed Arvind Kejriwal's petition challenging the ED arrest.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in connection with the money laundering case on March 21 and was subsequently sent to judicial custody. He was lodged in Tihar jail.
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During the hearing on Tuesday, the Supreme Court told Arvind Kejriwal that he won't be able to perform official duties while on interim bail, to which the Delhi CM assured he would not deal with any excise policy scam-related files, if given bail.
The top court had issued a notice to the ED on April 15 and sought its response to Kejriwal's plea against his arrest. On April 9, the Delhi High Court had upheld Kejriwal's arrest, saying there was no illegality and the ED was left with "little option" after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation.
The case relates to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.
Meanwhile, a Delhi court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal in the money-laundering case related to the alleged excise scam till May 20. Special Judge for CBI and ED Kaveri Baweja extended Kejriwal's custody till May 20 after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was produced before the court through a video conference on the expiry of his custody granted earlier.
The judge also extended the judicial custody of co-accused Chanpreet Singh till May 20.
