Kejriwal's bail plea: SC notice to CBI, next hearing on Aug 23

The Supreme Court on Wednesday while hearing a plea for bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) issued notice to the probe agency, seeking its response.

The Apex Court also declined to grant interim bail to Kejriwal. As the hearing commenced before a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, submitted that he had got interim bail on three occasions in the money laundering case, also linked to the alleged scam, despite the stringent conditions laid down for grant of bail in cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Referring to Kejriwal’s health concerns, Singhvi made a request for interim bail. He said an application seeking the relief has already been filed.

“We are not granting any interim bail,” the top court told Singhvi. The senior lawyer then requested for a “shortest date” and the bench posted the matter for hearing on August 23.

Singhvi cited the top court’s interim bail orders passed on May 10 and July 12, as well as the regular bail granted by the trial court on June 20.