Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea for a seven-day extension of his interim bail in a corruption case related to a now scrapped liquor policy was dismissed by the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Last month, the court had granted Kejriwal interim bail for campaigning in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with instructions to surrender by June 2. The registrar of the Supreme Court deemed Kejriwal’s request for an extension “not maintainable,” suggesting that he could seek regular bail from the trial court instead.
Kejriwal’s plea for an extension was based on medical grounds, with his legal team highlighting the need for urgent medical examinations to address potential health risks during his prison term. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, emphasized that the Chief Minister would remain visible and available to the public while out on bail, ensuring compliance with the court’s conditions. Singhvi asserted that Kejriwal posed no flight risk and had adhered to the Supreme Court’s conditions for interim bail.
The investigation agency alleges that Kejriwal played a significant role in drafting the controversial liquor policy and solicited bribes for liquor licenses, with kickbacks totaling Rs 100 crore allegedly funneled into AAP’s election campaigns in Goa and Punjab. Both Kejriwal and AAP have vehemently denied the charges, labeling the arrest and case as “political vendetta.” The timing of the arrest, just weeks before elections, has sparked political tensions between the ruling BJP and opposition parties like the AAP and Congress-led INDIA bloc.
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