The Supreme Court has declined to hear Arvind Kejriwal's request for a 7-day extension of his interim bail in a corruption case related to the Delhi liquor policy. Last month, the Court granted Kejriwal interim bail to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, with the condition that he surrender on June 2, a day after the final round of polling.
The Supreme Court registrar rejected the plea, stating that the Delhi Chief Minister had the option to seek regular bail from the trial court, making this petition "not maintainable."
Kejriwal had requested an extension on medical grounds and sought an urgent hearing. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, argued that a medical examination was necessary due to health complications, emphasizing that Kejriwal would remain "visible and available in public" while on bail. He also assured that there was no risk of fleeing and that all conditions of the interim bail had been followed.
The investigative agency alleges that Kejriwal played a significant role in drafting the now-scrapped liquor policy and soliciting bribes for liquor licenses. It claims that the AAP received ₹100 crore in kickbacks, which were allegedly used to fund election campaigns in Goa and Punjab.
Both the AAP and Kejriwal have denied the allegations, calling the case a "political vendetta" timed just weeks before the election. The arrest has also sparked a political clash between the ruling BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc, led by the Congress, of which the AAP is a member.
