Arvind Kejriwal Was the ‘Sutradhaar’ of Excise Scam: CBI Tells Delhi HC

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 29th July. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was described as the “sutradhaar” of the alleged excise scam by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday. The CBI argued against Kejriwal’s bail application, presenting evidence of his involvement in the case. The Delhi High Court has reserved its order on the bail plea.

CBI’s counsel, D.P. Singh, claimed that Kejriwal’s arrest was crucial for the investigation. “The investigation could not have been concluded without his arrest. We obtained crucial evidence post-arrest,” Singh said, adding that a final charge sheet had been filed.

In contrast, Kejriwal’s defense, led by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, argued that the arrest was an “insurance arrest” intended to prevent his release. Singhvi criticized the CBI’s reliance on presumptions and argued that the excise policy was a collective decision endorsed by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and various committees. He contended that others involved in the process should also be co-accused.

The CBI’s final charge sheet, filed earlier in the day, names Kejriwal, AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak, and several others including P. Sarath Chandra Reddy, Amit Arora, Vinod Chauhan, and Ashish Mathur as accused. The charge sheet alleges that kickbacks of approximately ₹90-100 crore were paid to AAP politicians and public servants to influence the 2021-22 Excise Policy.

Kejriwal was initially arrested on June 26 by the CBI while already in judicial custody for a related money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Delhi High Court’s verdict on his bail petition is pending.

Earlier, Kejriwal was granted bail in the money laundering case by a trial court on June 20, but this was stayed by the High Court. The Supreme Court granted him interim bail on July 12.

The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 following allegations of irregularities and corruption, prompting the Delhi Lieutenant Governor to call for a CBI investigation.