Delhi Excise Policy case: SC issues notice to ED on Arvind Kejriwal’s plea against arrest

April 15, 2024

New Delhi: The Supreme Court issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a plea by Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the agency and his subsequent remand in the excise policy case.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta refused to give an early hearing of the case as sought by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for Kejriwal.

During the hearing, Singhvi urged the bench to give a short date for the hearing, preferably the coming Friday. The bench said, “We will give you a short date, but it is not possible to meet the date suggested by you.”
Singhvi said the arrest of Kejriwal was made to disable him from campaigning.

The apex court posted the case for further hearing in the week commencing from April 29.

The bench, in its order, stated, “Issue notice. returnable on April 24. Notice is accepted by the respondent (ED), who is presented in court on caveat. Reply to be filed on or before April 24 and rejoinder (by Kejriwal) on or before April 27. Post-in week commencing April 29.”

Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal has approached the Supreme Court challenging a Delhi High Court judgment that dismissed his plea against arrest by the ED and his subsequent remand in the excise policy case.

While filing an appeal in the apex court, he contended that his arrest after the announcement of the general elections was “motivated by extraneous considerations.”.