Kejriwal to stay in jail; SC seeks ED reply by Apr 24

Judicial custody until April 23; SC to hear plea in week starting April 29

- ANANTHAKRISHNAN G

THE SUPREME COURT issued notice Monday to the Enforcement Directorate on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest in the Delhi excise policy case and fixed hearing in the matter in the week commencing April 29.

The bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta gave ED time until April 24 to file its response after which Kejriwal can file a rejoinder by April 26. Also Monday, a Delhi court extended the judicial custody of Kejriwal until April 23 - he was arrested by the ED in the excise policy case on March 21 and sent to judicial custody on April 1.

Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court dismissed his plea against his arrest on April 9, observing that the ED was in "possession of enough material" which showed that he was Kejriwal to stay in jail, SC notice to ED on his plea against arrest "actively involved in the formulation" of the excise policy.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal in the Supreme Court Monday, questioned the timing of his arrest, maintaining that "the object of arresting on March 21... post the Model Code of Conduct" was "to disable me from campaigning".

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, objected to the submission.

Singhvi prayed for an earlier date but the bench said the date it had given was the earliest it could.

Singhvi said he wanted to show some facts "to shock the conscience of the court", that there have been "some selective leaks" and requested the bench to hear the matter Friday.